No compromise on exorbitant prices | Economic News

The expectation that price tags will change in markets and markets following the increase in the minimum wage has alarmed the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant institutions with supervisory authority. The sources we spoke to say that although the 49 percent minimum wage increase will increase the personnel wage expenses of businesses, exorbitant price increases using this rate as an excuse will not be tolerated.

Speaking to Yeni Şafak after the Market Surveillance, Inspection and Product Safety Evaluation Board meeting, where nine ministries were represented and 3 ministers attended, Minister of Commerce Ömer Bolat said, “We talked about the production and trade of products harmful to health in today’s meeting. One of the important results of today’s meeting of our Board will be the adoption of the new National Market Surveillance and Inspection Action Plan, which will form the basis of our work for the 2024-2025 period. “We will accept the Action Plan here and put it into practice in 2024,” he said.

WE WORK IN COOPERATION

Stating that they will increase the frequency of inspections in the fight against exorbitant prices, Minister Bolat stated that the relevant ministries and the government carry out inspection activities with a continuous and proactive approach. Explaining that the Ministry of Commerce carries out uncompromising monitoring and inspections in all areas under its authority, Bolat expressed that he has no doubt that the other ministries with which they work in coordination will fulfill their responsibilities uncompromisingly.

WE ARE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INSPECTION STAFF

Pointing out that the process of hiring 1,500 people, which the Ministry of Commerce will employ in addition to the existing inspection staff, is ongoing, Bolat said that they will put the new personnel into the field after going through a rapid training process. Bolat; He underlined that thanks to their strengthened staff, they will intensify inspections in all 81 provinces in shopping malls, markets, grocery stores, galleries, markets and all over the market.

WE ALSO FOLLOW THE SALES PLATFORMS CLOSELY

Stating that they closely monitor digital sales platforms as well as inspecting shelves and counters in order to support the fight against inflation, Bolat noted that they do not tolerate those who engage in market-distorting actions. Stating that thanks to the strict inspections they carried out, there has been a significant balancing in the food prices that everyone has to consume, Bolat stated that they continue the inspections without compromise to ensure the continuity of this. Meanwhile, it was learned that the Ministry of Commerce is preparing 7 new regulations that will strengthen its control and supervision in the market. An information pool will be created to control prices.

A fine of 70 million lira was imposed

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır emphasized that they ensure the quality, safe and competitive production of the Turkish industry with nearly 1,200 inspectors organized in 81 provinces and will continue to do so in the coming period. Kacır said, “In 2023; We carried out more than 30 thousand inspections. “We imposed administrative fines of over 70 million Liras on companies that put unsafe products on the market,” he said.

195 inappropriate products were detected

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı underlined that they carry out inspections on all products supplied from field to table and that these studies will continue increasingly in the new period. Yumaklı said: “So far this year, we have detected 195 non-conforming products and imposed a penalty of 16 million TL.” Yumaklı also stated that they carried out 29 thousand inspections in the field of seed and 1 million 300 thousand inspections in the field of food and imposed fines of 535 million TL.