Important Principle Decision From The Advertising Board Regarding Discount Sale Advertisements 30 January 2024
At the first meeting of the year held on January 9, 2024, the Advertising Board made an important principle decision regarding discount sale advertisements by amending the "Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices" in order to prevent consumer victimization through misleading advertisements and practices that lead to unfair competition in the retail trade sector.

What is the Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices? |
The Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices is a guideline which was adopted by the Advertising Board as its Principle Decision No. 2022/1 at the meeting dated April 12, 2022, and numbered 320, has been prepared based on Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection and the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commertial Practices, with the aim of providing guidance to advertisers, advertising agencies, media organizations, sellers, providers, intermediary service providers, and all individuals, institutions, and organizations involved in advertising, regarding advertisements containing price information, discount sale advertisements, and commercial practices. |
What are the Main Important Principles outlined in the Guide on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices? |
According to the Guideline; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is the Principle added to the "Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discounted Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices" with the amendment dated 09.01.2024? |
It has been evaluated that loyalty programs that are frequently applied recently, which are defined by the Advertising Board as discount cards, coupons, loyalty programs or practices that allow consumers to accumulate points for future purchases, which are not considered within the scope of discount sales and which give consumers the right to long-term price discounts in specified groups of goods or services, are now may be easily participated in through transactions that can be carried out in a short period of time, such as sending a text message, giving approval via the website or mobile application, or filling out a form, and that loyalty programs have turned into discount sales practices to include the vast majority of goods or services offered for sale day by day and that these applications are used to create an unrealistic discount perception in consumers and this situation is deemed to be misleading and distorting the price perception of consumers and is contrary to the legislation. |
Accordingly, it has been accepted as a principle decision that advertisements for goods or services offered for sale through a loyalty program may not directly or indirectly create the impression of a discount by using phrases such as "discount", "savings", or "special discount/opportunity for XY card/members", "pre-discount price" or visuals such as crossed-out prices or downward trend graphs, and this principle has been therefore included in the Guidelines on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices. |
Thus, a comprehensive step has been taken towards more effectively protecting consumers against deceptive practices that make it difficult for them to compare prices in discount sales campaigns. |
Who is responsible in the event of a non-compliance with the"Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information, Discounted Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices"? |
dvertisers are responsible for price displays, discount sales announcements, stock notifications and commercial applications published on any platform. |
The Guideline on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices, made a statement by way of sampling within the scope of its responsibility regarding the products offered for sale through e-commerce platforms. |
Accordingly, it has been stated that in the case of the intermediary service provider promotes a product on any platform such as television, the internet, etc., for items offered for sale through an e-commerce platform, the intermediary service provider will be held responsible as the advertiser. |
The current version of the Guidelines on Advertisements Containing Price Information and Discount Sale Advertisements and Commercial Practices is available here. |
Other News
-
6.7.2025
Mediation Practices In The Land Registry
Pursuant to the amendments introduced by Law on Amendments to the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law and to Certain Other Laws which was published in the Official Gazette dated 05.04.2023, numbered 32154 to the Law on Mediation in Civil Disputes dated 7/6/2012 and numbered 6325 ("Law"), the scope of disputes that may be resolved through procedural- mandatory- and voluntary mediation has been expanded.
-
26.6.2025
Effects Of The Concordatum Period On Pledgees
Pursuant to Article 285 of the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (EBL), a debtor who is unable to pay their debts on time or is at risk of default may request a concordatum. During the period granted to the debtor upon such request, no enforcement proceedings may be initiated, and ongoing proceedings are suspended, in accordance with Article 294/1 of the EBL.
-
17.6.2025
M&A Dynamics in Publicly Traded Companies: New Investment Strategies Through Borsa Istanbul
In recent years, IPOs in Turkey have reached record levels. In 2023 and 2024, a large number of companies started trading in Borsa Istanbul as a result of initial public offerings (IPO) transactions. These IPOs, which attracted great interest from small investors, stand out as important strategic moves in which companies gain transparency and visibility, and also play a role as an important financing tool. With IPOs, publicly traded companies / partnerships are now drawing the attention of not only small investors but also domestic/foreign strategic and financial investors.
-
15.6.2025
The Court Of Cassation Abandoned Its Long-Standing Precedent Regarding Construction Conracts In Return For Land Shares, Known As "Advance Deed"
Construction contracts in return for land shares are a common practice in the construction sector in Turkey.
-
10.6.2025
Amendments To The Regulation On Distance Contracts: Return Shipping Fees And Right Of Withdrawal For Electronics
With the Regulation Amending the Regulation on Distance Contracts ("Amending Regulation") published in the Official Gazette dated May 24, 2025 and numbered 32909, important amendments were made regarding distance sales. The key changes introduced by the Amending Regulation are as follows:
-
29.5.2025
Alimony Against Inflation: Adjustmen of Alimony and the Issue of Payment in Foreign Currency
Alimony for supplementary welfare allowance and child support awarded by court judgment as a result of divorce cases is generally fixed at a certain amount and either remains the same over the years or is increased only within limited rates determined by the court. Similarly, the provisional alimony determined during the litigation process can become insufficient over time due to the prolonged duration of the proceedings and high inflation; this significantly hampers the effectiveness of alimony enforcement.
-
22.5.2025
Right To Compassionate Leave: Duration, Implementation And Assessment
Legal Basis and Definition of Compassionate Leave: In situations where an employee is unable to perform their work obligation due to certain personal circumstances in which, pursuant to the principle of good faith, the employer cannot reasonably expect the employee to work, the employee must be deemed to be on justified leave. Compassionate leave was introduced by Law No. 6645 in 2015 and is regulated under Additional Article 2 of the Turkish Labour Law No. 4857.
-
19.5.2025
The Right to Be Forgotten in the Context of Search Engines
IWith the rapid advancement of technology, personal data is increasingly recorded in digital environments and can be stored for long periods of time. This situation causes individuals' past negative experiences or changing opinions over time to remain constantly accessible. In particular, search engines make personal data widely accessible by indexing results that appear when searching individuals by their first and last names. Within this context, the "Right to Be Forgotten" stands out as the right of individuals to request the deletion of their personal data or the restriction of access to it in digital environments.
-
15.5.2025
The Penalty Clause in Turkish Law, Reduction of the Penalty Clause, and Practial Interpretations
One of the fundamental concepts of contract law, "penalty clauses" function as an important security for the creditor in the event that the debtor fails to properly perform their obligation. As an extension of the principle of freedom of contract, the parties may agree in advance to the payment of a specific amount in case the obligation is not performed at all or not performed correctly, thereby encouraging performance and easing the burden of proof for any damages that may arise.
-
12.5.2025
A Review on US Customs Tariffs and Its Impact on M&A Transactions
US President Donald Trump recently announced a "declaration of economic independence". Accordingly, a reciprocal tariff on all countries came into force. The tariff rate for Turkey was set at 10%, i.e. the minimum rate.
-
11.2.2025
An EMRA Decision: Capital Increase Obligation for Electricity Market Companies in Share Transfers to Foreign Investors
1. Current Regulation The Energy Market Regulatory Authority ("EMRA" or the "Authority") regulates the transfer of shares in the capital of companies operating in the electricity market under Article 57 of the Electricity Market Licence Regulation ("Regulation").
-
28.1.2025
Turkish Competition Board Mergers And Acquisitions Outlook Report For 2024 Has Been Published
On January 7th, 2025, the Turkish Competition Authority has published the Report prepared by the Competition Board on Mergers, Acquisitions And Privatisation Transactions in 2024 ("Report").
-
21.11.2024
The Procedure of Sale by Auction and The Legal Aspect of New Regulations Brought by the 9th Judicial Package
By new regulations brought by the 9th Judicial Package, a new legal frame for the sale of seized goods electronically is instructed according to Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law Article 111/b. Transactions about the sales of seized goods are made via a sale portal integrated with the National Judicial Network Information System (UYAP) by auction. However, because of the legal gaps of the law, an application about the sale transactions cannot be displayed. The amendments introduced by legislators to the law regarding electronic sales in the 8th and 9th Judicial Packages, as well as the newly established regulations, are considered an important step toward making foreclosure processes faster and ensuring that sales transactions are conducted in a safer and more transparent environment.
-
14.11.2024
Law Numbered 7531 On Amendments To Certain Laws Was Published
Law1 No. 7531 on the Amendment of Certain Laws ("Law"), also known as the 9th Judicial Package, was published in the Official Gazette dated 14.11.2024 and numbered 32722 and contains significant amendments to 17 different laws.
-
12.11.2024
E-Government Era Begins In Lease Agreements!
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance ("Ministry") announced in the 2023-2025 period of its 2022 Action Plan for Combating the Informal Economy ("Action Plan") that lease agreements could be concluded through the e-Government portal to support the decision-making processes of the parties involved and conduct risk analysis studies. The first phase of this activity was launched on November 4, 2024, through the e-Government portal, and the second phase is expected to be implemented by the end of the year.