New online shopping rules for consumers and sellers in Türkiye begin April 1

A new regulation in Türkiye will take effect on April 1, 2025, changing how online shopping works for both consumers and businesses.

The Ministry of Trade prepared the regulation, which applies to purchases made through websites, mobile apps, television, and radio.

The new rules, published in the Official Gazette on October 30, 2024, aim to ensure safer products and more transparent practices across e-commerce platforms. The five-month transition period ends today.

Sellers in Türkiye must now provide clear product details, safety information

All sellers on online shopping sites must now give full and understandable details about the products they sell. Listings must include the producer or importer’s name, contact information, and any relevant safety markings.

This change allows consumers in Türkiye to view product details before purchase, similar to how they would in a physical store.

If any product listing is found to be misleading or not compliant with safety regulations, it must be removed from the platform within 24 hours. E-commerce platforms must also store product safety data in their systems.

E-commerce platforms in Türkiye must create contact point for consumer complaints

Online shopping platforms are now required to set up a direct contact point for shoppers. Through these contact points, consumers will be able to:

• Report unsafe or unapproved products
• Ask for more information
• Submit complaints or alerts about listings

The goal is to make the shopping process safer and give buyers better tools to report problems quickly.

Foreign sellers must appoint local representative to sell certain items

The new regulation affects international businesses as well. Companies that want to sell specific items from outside Türkiye must now appoint a local representative within the country.

These requirements apply to products listed by the Ministry of Trade on its official website.

If a company does not have a registered local representative in Türkiye, it will not be allowed to sell the listed products to Turkish consumers through online shopping. The ministry said this rule is designed to protect consumers and reduce unfair competition for local sellers.

Non-compliance with new online shopping rules will result in penalties

Companies that fail to follow the new rules will face penalties under the Product Safety and Technical Regulations Law (Law No. 7223). In cases of serious violations, access to non-compliant product listings or websites may be blocked.

The Ministry of Trade announced that further guidance on how to comply with the regulation will be available through their official website.

Officials added that they remain committed to protecting consumer rights and supporting fair business practices within Türkiye’s growing e-commerce sector.