Footwear products dominate Turkish consumer complaints in 2024: Trade Ministry
File photo shows various types of footwear displayed on shelves, representing a retail store or showroom. (AA Photo)
Türkiye’s Trade Ministry reported that Turkish consumer arbitration committees resolved 762,100 disputes in 2024, valued at approximately ₺7 billion ($197.54 million), with footwear complaints accounting for 13.2% of all applications, leading the list of consumer grievances.
According to a statement from the Trade Ministry on Saturday, 755,997 dispute applications were recorded in Türkiye in 2024. The total monetary value of disputes resolved during the year saw a 75% increase compared to the previous year.
The ministry highlighted that alongside written applications, consumers could easily file complaints through the e-government platform and the Consumer Information System. Approximately 67% of all applications last year were submitted via the e-government portal.
Refund claims topped the list, with nearly 293,000 applications requesting monetary reimbursement. Additionally, 204,000 applications sought product replacements or service re-performance. Other demands included requests for free repairs and price reductions, as noted in the statement.
Footwear leads Turkish consumer complaints in 2024
The ministry revealed the most complained-about products and services in 2024, ranked as follows:
- Footwear (13.2%)
- Clothing (4.86%)
- Credit card membership fees (4.85%)
- Mobile phones (4.09%)
- Furniture (3.94%)
- Internet subscriptions (3.8%)
- GSM subscriptions (2.82%)
On a sectoral basis, the retail trade sector recorded the highest share of applications at 58.79%, followed by financial services at 10.14% and subscription services at 9.79%.
