Discounts, Retail and Price Tags

Discount campaigns, retail sales rules and price tags are among the issues most often inspected by the Ministry of Trade, and even a small display error can lead to an administrative fine. We review your discount advertising, price displays in stores and online, and retail practices against the relevant legislation, and structure your campaigns before they go live.

What rules apply to discount advertising?

Discount advertising must show both the price before the discount and the discounted price. Under the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices, the price before the discount is the lowest price applied in the last thirty days before the discount. Because of this rule, raising the price before a campaign and then announcing a “discount” is misleading advertising.

The products, dates and conditions to which the discount applies must be stated clearly, and if stock is limited, that must also appear in the advertisement. With statements such as “up to 70 per cent off”, the stated discount must actually apply to a meaningful share of the products in the campaign.

What does the Price Tag Regulation cover?

The Price Tag Regulation requires the prices of goods and services offered for retail sale to be displayed where consumers can easily see them, in Turkish lira and including all taxes. The tag includes information such as the sale price, the unit price and the place of production. In online sales, the same information must be shown on the product page.

Scope

Advice and recommendations on discount advertising
Advice and recommendations on retail sales rules
Advice under the Price Tag Regulation
Preparing campaign terms and participation texts

How We Work

Reviewing the campaign structure, price history and the products in the campaign
Checking price displays in advertisements, posters, the website and the app
Preparing campaign terms and information texts
A price display checklist for store and e-commerce teams
Handling the process in the event of a Ministry inspection or complaint

Team

Ali Gül Founding Partner

Hasan Çakan Partner

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the pre-discount price determined?

The lowest price applied in the last thirty days before the discount must be shown as the pre-discount price. Keeping a record of price movements before the campaign is therefore important as proof in any inspection.

What should we do if stock of a campaign product is limited?

The limited stock must be stated clearly in the advertisement. If an advertised discounted product runs out at the start of the campaign or is never offered for sale, this may be treated as misleading advertising designed to draw consumers to the store or website.

Do price tag rules apply to websites?

Yes. For products sold online, the price must also be shown including taxes, and the tag information must appear on the product page. Additional charges that appear in the basket may make the price shown on the product page misleading.

Does a "buy one, get one free" campaign count as a discount?

Such campaigns also promise consumers a price advantage and are therefore subject to advertising and unfair commercial practice rules. The campaign's conditions, the products covered and its duration must be stated clearly.

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