Turkish consumers are grappling with sharp increases in food prices as the country heads into Ramadan, with January bringing a fresh wave of sticker shock across supermarket shelves.
After facing steep hikes in December, shoppers encountered even larger jumps last month, with many staples rising by 30 to 40 percent compared to the previous month.
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) reported that the Consumer Price Index rose 4.84 percent in January, exceeding expectations. Food costs were the primary driver, with unprocessed items such as vegetables and meat showing the most pronounced increases. The Central Bank noted that food and services were the leading contributors to inflation, highlighting that unprocessed food prices climbed 11.79 percent month-on-month, while fresh fruits and vegetables surged 22.03 percent.
Consumers have voiced frustration over what they describe as “unexplained and relentless price hikes.” Social media discussions and complaints to newspapers point to widespread increases across dairy, meat and produce. For example, butter that cost 340 Turkish Liras ($7.8) in December rose to 435 liras by mid-January and reached 480 lira last week. Kashar cheese packages, which recently shrank from 700–750 grams to 600 grams, saw prices jump from 235 lira in December to 279 liras in late January. A liter of whole milk climbed from 47 to 54 lira, while packaged olives rose from 84 to 119 lira.
The dairy sector has been under scrutiny by the Competition Authority amid concerns that milk and feed producers are coordinating to influence prices. The National Milk Council raised its recommended raw milk price to 22.22 lira per liter effective January 22, but producers increased prices both before and after the adjustment.
Fresh produce has also seen dramatic spikes, exacerbated by heavy rains that damaged greenhouses. Tomatoes now sell for 90–100 lira per kilo, cucumbers for 110–120, peppers for 140, zucchini for 120, and eggplants for 140. Industry observers argue that traders, rather than farmers, are driving the steep increases by exploiting weather-related disruptions.
Meat prices continue to climb despite government efforts to stabilize the market. Ground beef now costs 700–750 lira per kilo, while cubed beef ranges from 850 to 950 lira. Other cuts have already surpassed the 1,000-lira threshold.
Products whose weight, unit count, or length has been altered must clearly display this information on the packaging with statements such as “the number of units has been reduced” or “the weight has been decreased.” Applying the same price without disclosure misleads consumers, constitutes an offense and is subject to serious penalties.
