Recent Development
Effective 1 January 2017, higher fines will be imposed for certain violations of Law No. 6502 on Protection of Consumers (the “Consumer Protection Law“). Fines will increase by 3.83 percent compared to 2016.
In particular, companies that are found to have:
- Used unfair terms unlawfully or failed to use 12-point bold type with clear language in consumer agreements, failed to provide a guarantee certificate, or failed to provide explicit and legible safety information to consumers for goods deemed potentially harmful to consumers or the environment will be subject to a fine in the amount of TRY 240 (approximately USD 70) per violation;
- Failed to comply with the obligations on consumer loan and housing finance agreements and agreements concluded outside the workplace (such as direct sales agreements) will be subject to a fine in the amount of TRY 1,206 (approximately USD 340) per agreement or transaction;
- Made deceptive or misleading representation through mass media advertising will be subject to a fine in the amount of TRY 6,034 to 241,413 (approximately USD 1,700 to 70,000) per violation.
Actions to consider
Companies should take note of these changes in fines and their effects on their operations in Turkey, and take steps to ensure compliance with the Consumer Protection Law.
