New Regulation on Products Sold via Remote Communication
The Ministry of Trade has implemented new regulations aimed at enhancing the safety of products offered in the market. The "Regulation on Market Surveillance and Inspection of Products Offered via Remote Communication Tools" has been published in the Official Gazette and has come into effect. This regulation aims to increase product safety in online shopping.
Under the regulation, it has become mandatory for product sale advertisements to include necessary warnings and safety information in Turkish, along with relevant symbols. Consumers will have the opportunity to examine products in more detail while shopping online and will be able to see the required safety markings. This step aims to make online shopping experiences closer to those of physical stores.
Inappropriate products will be rapidly removed Under the regulation, if the sale of an inappropriate product is detected on any internet platform, the sale advertisement must be removed within 24 hours. If the request is not fulfilled within the specified period, access to the related advertisement will be blocked. This method aims to prevent consumers from encountering unsafe products.
Additionally, platforms conducting economic and commercial activities on behalf of others are required to designate a "Product Safety Contact Point." Consumers can lodge complaints regarding the safety and compliance of products through these contact points, allowing for prompt action to be taken.
Requirement for a business operator based in Turkey The regulation also introduces a requirement for certain product groups to have an economic operator based in Turkey for their market launch. This will be a significant condition for products to be presented in the Turkish market. Products that do not meet this requirement will not be permissible for sale in Turkey.
The Ministry of Trade publishes information on which product groups are included within this regulation on its official website. This step aims to ensure the safety of products marketed in Turkey while also boosting local economic activities.