Misleading discounts under scrutiny as summer sales approach

Şevval Aydoğan-ISTANBUL

With retailers rolling out seasonal promotions ahead of the summer sales period, consumer watchdogs are warning shoppers to look beyond eye-catching discount claims.

Authorities say some campaigns rely on vague wording, unclear terms and misleading price comparisons that can give consumers a false impression of the savings on offer.

The Trade Ministry has recently stepped up inspections of discount advertising following a rise in consumer complaints. Officials have focused on campaigns that prominently advertise large discounts while limiting the offer through exceptions, conditions or hard-to-read disclaimers.

According to a report by state-run Anadolu Agency, authorities have identified misleading examples involving stacked discounts, such as promotions combining multiple percentage reductions that may confuse consumers about the final price. Investigators also found cases in which advertisements suggested that discounts applied across an entire product range, while footnotes excluded numerous items from the campaign.
Other issues highlighted by regulators include missing start and end dates for promotional offers and loyalty-card discounts based on reference prices that were allegedly inflated.

Ergün Kılıç, head of the Consumer Rights Association, said complaints linked to discount campaigns have increased in recent years. He pointed to phrases such as “starting from 50 percent off” as examples of wording that can create misleading expectations among consumers.

Kılıç also warned about marketing techniques designed to create a sense of urgency, including messages such as “last day” or “only two items left.” According to Kılıç, such statements may encourage consumers to make unnecessary purchases.

To avoid being misled, consumers should verify advertised discounts directly through retailers, carefully review conditions attached to promotional offers and pay attention to phrases such as “selected products” or “up to” when assessing the actual scope of a sale, Kılıç said.

He added that shoppers who encounter different prices at the shelf and the checkout should be aware that the lower price should be applied in their favor. Consumers can document discrepancies by photographing labels and receipts and submitting complaints to local trade authorities, Kılıç said. They may also seek assistance through the government’s consumer helpline, he added.

Under Türkiye’s consumer protection legislation, advertisers, agencies and media outlets that breach advertising rules may face administrative sanctions. Fines can range from tens of thousands of Turkish Liras to nearly 40 million lira, depending on the medium in which the advertisement appears.

Authorities imposed substantial penalties following investigations into previous large-scale discount campaigns, including promotional periods commonly marketed under names such as “Legendary November.”