Turkish customers say goodbye to Chinese e-commerce giant Temu

Turkish government’s recent decision to amend the implementation of certain articles of Law No. 4458 on Customs has resulted in a new regulation concerning the taxation of imported goods.

Shopping limit restrictions: Under the new regulation, additional customs duties will be imposed on products ordered from overseas. Specifically:

• Items valued up to 30 euros ($32.72), not intended for commercial resale, arriving from EU countries via postal or express courier, will be subject to a 30% customs duty. Additionally, medications with a value up to 1500 euros from the EU will also incur the same 30% duty.
• Items from other countries will face a 60% customs duty.

Behind the scenes: The Ministry of Trade’s action was prompted by the growing popularity of Temu, owned by China’s PDD Holdings, in Türkiye, following the trend set by AliExpress.

Social media reactions

The decision has sparked significant reactions on social media and from various segments of the public.

Key points from these reactions include:

• “There must be a special ministry dedicated to making people more unhappy and restless; otherwise, it’s hard to believe that these perfectly timed decisions are just coincidence.”
• “The government has intervened in the Temu craze. It seems there’s nothing left untouched by the state.”
• “We warned all influencers not to advertise cheap Temu products or else they’d be subjected to extra taxes. Now it’s come to this.”
• “Türkiye is on the path to becoming North Korea.”
• “For example, a pair of LED lights costs ₺35. Even if the total price with taxes is 200% more, people will still buy from Temu because the cheapest equivalent in Türkiye is ₺600-700.”
• “Get ready for the Oxygen Tax in 2025.”
• “Every morning we wake up to stricter and more oppressive news. The ironic part is who will respond and who will react? People were buying products in Temu for ₺20 that were sold for ₺300 in Türkiye That’s the underlying reason.”
• “It feels like the government wants us to completely sever our ties with the world.”
• “The decision clearly says you can’t shop cheaply; you have to pay the state first.”
• “Investing in this country? Never. Temu advertised morning and night, and now it’s a failure.”
• “We are world leaders in terms of taxes. Ironically, we are a ‘brand’ in this regard.”
• “There are no salary increases, and everything is getting more expensive. It seems the government doesn’t want people to enjoy affordable shopping from abroad.”
• “Products made in Türkiye are cheaper abroad. Yet, when Turkish citizens try to buy cheaper goods from abroad, taxes are imposed.”
• “The state is now involved in every aspect of our lives – our dreams, our homes, and our shopping. It’s as if they’ve earned money working with us.”
• “While people are trying to find cheaper ways to meet their needs during a crisis, the government keeps putting obstacles in their way. What is this hostility toward the public?”