Information Note Regarding Amendments to the Regulation on Price Tags

Berke Özakça co-authored this article.

I. Introduction

Significant amendments to the Regulation on Price Tags (“Regulation”) were introduced through the Regulation on the Amendments to the Price Tags Regulation (“Amendment Regulation”) published in the Official Gazette dated 11 October 2025 and numbered 33044. In its public announcement, the Ministry of Trade (“Ministry”) stated that these amendments were made within the scope of ongoing efforts to protect consumers’ economic interests and enhance price transparency in the markets.

The Amendment Regulation has entered into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, 11 October 2025, and the businesses falling within the scope of the Regulation should take necessary measures for compliance with the obligations introduced.

II. Amendments

• The Amendment Regulation introduces definitions for “tare” and “QR code”, and allows price information for products such as books, magazines, and newspapers to be displayed electronically. For goods sold in bulk or weighed at the point of sale, the weight of the packaging (tare) must now be deducted from the total, ensuring that consumers pay only for the actual weight of the product.

• Food and beverage service providers (such as restaurants, cafés, patisseries, and similar establishments) are required to display their price lists in a visible manner at the entrance and on tables, ensuring that consumers can easily access the information. Businesses may also present their price lists via QR codes; however, upon request, a physical copy of the price list must be provided.

• The Amendment Regulation further introduces an obligation for such businesses to transmit their price list data to a system to be established by the Ministry. The criteria for determining which businesses are subject to this obligation, as well as the procedures and principles for data transmission, will be set by the Ministry. Once these criteria are announced, the relevant businesses must transfer their price lists to the system within three months. Furthermore, if a service fee or any other charge under a different name is collected in addition to the prices displayed on the tariff or price list, these additional fees must also be explicitly indicated.

• Prior to the amendment, in discount sales, the lowest price applied within the previous 30 days was taken as the reference for determining the “pre-discount” price. Following the amendment, this period has been reduced to 10 days. Accordingly, as of the effective date of the Amendment Regulation, the lowest price applied within the 10 days preceding the date on which the discount is implemented shall be taken as the basis for discounted sale prices in the sale of goods.

III. Conclusion

The amendments introduced by the Amendment Regulation may be deemed to signify a constructive move towards strengthening consumer transparency and promoting fair and accurate pricing practices. In particular, businesses will need to establish the necessary infrastructure within 3 months following the announcement of the criteria and procedures for transferring price lists to the system to be established by the Ministry.

The reduction of the reference period for determining the “previous price” in discounted sales from 30 days to 10 days may, in some cases, have adverse consequences for consumers. Shortening the observation window could lead to pre-campaign or pre-season price fluctuations not being adequately reflected in discount calculations, potentially creating a misleading perception of discounts. For this reason, the effectiveness of the amendment should be supported by robust supervision and, where necessary, secondary guidance.

Overall, while the new provisions of the Amendment Regulation on transparency, visibility, and measurement-based practices are expected to benefit consumers, it would be appropriate to monitor the practical implications of the 10-day rule in discounted sales and reinforce it with complementary measures if needed.