Turkey has published detailed principles and rules for operating retail businesses. These are introduced as secondary legislation, outlining further details for legislation enacted in January 2015. The recent regulation include detailed procedures and principles for retail trade operations, inspection of retail businesses, shopping festivals, sales campaigns, as well as related sanctions.

The Law on Retail Trade Regulation numbered 6585 was published in Official Gazette number 29251 on 29 January 2015 (“Law”). The Regulation on Principles and Rules on Retail Trade was published in Official Gazette number 29793 on 6 August 2016 (“Regulation”).

Notable provisions introduced by the Regulation include:

  • If a product is subject to premium request, or other means of contribution, and is being sold on exhibition units, this service will be considered to be shelf allocation service.
  • The Law states that where the producer or supplier is a small-scale business and the retailer is a large-scale business, the payment period cannot exceed 30 days from the date of delivery for FMCG goods (food, beverage, cleaning and personal care) whose shelf life is limited to 30 days. The Regulation allows exceptions to the rule where changes occur to the parties’ operational size.
  • A supplier’s name, trade name, or brand must be mentioned on the labels of store-branded goods. Such specifications must be easy to read, as well as written in full and distinguishable.
  • Discounted or promotional sales campaigns include practices such as sale of products for a limited period for the purpose of promoting the product, brand or operation and increasing sales volumes.
  • Retail trade businesses are prohibited from making discounts without time limitation.
  • The start and finish dates of shopping festivals, as well as agenda, must be notified in writing at least one month before commencement to:
    • The provincial directorate (if the festival is organized based on state or province).
    • The Ministry of Customs and Trade (“Ministry”) (if the festival is organized based on region or country).
  • Shopping festivals cannot last more than sixty days.
  • Detailed criteria are introduced for products subject to continuous discount sales.
  • Conditions are introduced for when the governor or Ministry will determine working hours.

Please see this link for the full text of the Regulation (only available in Turkish).