The Ministry of Commerce announced that it immediately initiated an inspection and investigation following the posts about pepper prices on social media platforms and imposed fines.
As a result of the inspections, it was announced that pepper prices were sold at a higher price in Antalya and that producers and intermediaries made incomplete declarations by understating product prices.
The Ministry announced that an administrative fine of 1,806,170 TL would be imposed on the business in question.
The statement made by the Ministry of Commerce is as follows:
“Our Ministry of Commerce immediately initiated an audit and investigation upon the posts regarding pepper prices in some social media channels yesterday. As a result of the audits, it was determined that the prices of the products in question were traded higher in Antalya. However, it was understood that some producer, broker and intermediary companies made incomplete declarations by understating their product prices in order to avoid financial liabilities, especially duty and withholding tax.
The companies involved in the irregularity in question will be identified and reported to the Revenue Administration of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Tax Inspection Board in order to take the necessary actions. On the other hand, action has been initiated against the relevant market, which was determined to be selling the products reported to the Market Registration System at low prices, at exorbitant prices.
In this context, an administrative fine of 1,806,170 TL will be imposed on the business that is referred to the Unfair Price Assessment Board based on its own declaration, up to the maximum limit stipulated within the scope of the legislation.
“As the Ministry of Commerce, our inspections will be continued with determination against any attempt to disrupt price stability in the market, and practices that cause our citizens to suffer will not be tolerated in any way.”
