Advertising Board Imposes 20.1 Million Lira Fine for Deceptive Ads
The Ministry of Commerce has taken action against deceptive advertisements, particularly those containing “environmental declarations”. In a recent meeting before Eid al-Adha, the Advertising Board addressed the issue of greenwashing, where advertisers exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge about environmental issues.
The Board found that some companies in the food, clothing, and durable consumer sectors were using vague statements like “nature friendly” and “climate friendly” without providing sufficient information, leading to confusion among consumers. As a result, administrative sanctions were imposed on these companies for making unsubstantiated claims in their advertisements.
Furthermore, out of 175 files reviewed at the meeting, 147 were found to be in violation of legislation. This resulted in the imposition of administrative fines and suspension penalties on the companies responsible for misleading and deceptive advertising practices. Access to three files was also blocked as a form of punishment.
The Board also cracked down on imitation shoe advertisements, taking action against 17 advertisers who were using protected brand logos in a deceptive manner. Additionally, advertisements for geographically indicated products, such as olive oil, were scrutinized, leading to the suspension of ads from 13 companies that misrepresented their products’ origin.
Overall, the Advertising Board has reviewed a total of 931 files in the first half of the year, resulting in a total administrative fine of 127 million 433 thousand 779 liras for 811 files found to be engaging in deceptive advertising or unfair commercial practices. These actions demonstrate the Ministry’s commitment to protecting consumers from misleading advertisements and promoting fair trade practices.
