Erdogan urges citizens to boycott overpriced food amid falling inflation in Türkiye

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Turkish citizens to boycott overpriced food despite declining inflation, saying, “As citizens, our greatest weapon against opportunists is exercising our freedom not to buy.”

President Erdogan, speaking at the Presidential Complex following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, highlighted Türkiye’s record export figures in 2024, declining inflation, and increased employment, emphasizing that the disinflation program would continue.

“The latest inflation figures confirm that we are on the right path in combating inflation,” Erdogan stated, noting that the downward trend in inflation would accelerate in 2025.

Erdogan outlined a four-point roadmap for tackling inflation:

• The delayed effects of monetary policy on inflation will become more apparent over time.
• Fiscal policy will provide robust support in combating inflation.
• As budget conditions permit, administered and directed prices will align with inflation targets.
• Supply-side measures will support the disinflation in areas like food, housing and energy.

Urging citizens to boycott exorbitant prices

Erdogan stressed the sharp rise in living costs despite declining inflation, highlighting the impact of opportunistic price hikes, particularly on food products. “It is evident that this pricing behavior stems from greed, avarice, and lack of conscience rather than economic reasons,” Erdogan said.

He noted that during inspections conducted last year, 224,000 companies exploiting consumers with exorbitant prices and disrupting the market were fined approximately ₺5 billion ($141.44 million).

“A free market does not mean ‘lawlessness’ or ‘disorder.’ The aim of these inspections is not to interfere with the free market but to ensure its smoother functioning,” Erdogan explained.

Erdogan also underscored the importance of citizen support in lowering prices, urging all to boycott companies that excessively hike prices.

“By developing our conscious consumer qualities, we can achieve quality at fair prices. Globally, we see numerous examples of this across a wide spectrum. Together, as the state and the people, we can achieve much more effective results,” Erdogan said.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute’s report on Dec. 3, Türkiye’s annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase—or consumer inflation—declined to 44.38% in December 2024. On a monthly basis, consumer inflation rose at its slowest pace since May 2023, at 1.03% in December, cooling from 2.24% in November.

The food and non-alcoholic beverages category saw a year-on-year decrease to 43.58% in December, below the overall consumer inflation rate. However, following the minimum wage increase on Dec. 24 and the New Year, many supermarkets and retail companies reportedly began leveraging prices under the pretense of rising production costs.