In his statement yesterday, TESK Chairman Bendevi Palandöken reminded that the key point in the fight against inflation, which was emphasized in the Medium Term Program (OVP), announced in the past days is to eliminate unfair competition.
Palandöken pointed out that one of the main pillars of the MTP is to prevent the prices of basic food products from increasing above inflation.
"In order for this program to be successful, unfair competition should be prevented by updating the Retail Law as soon as the Turkish Grand National Assembly opens. Because what will prevent this astronomical increase in inflation in the market is the creation of a competitive environment in the sector. It is the rules and the law that will stop the high cost of living," he said.
“THERE ARE NO GROCERIES OR BUTCHERS LEFT IN OUR DISTRICT”
Stating that even the longest-lived business has a lifespan of 3-5 years in the current period, Bendevi Palandöken said, "In today's conditions, it is not possible to continue the same profession for 70 years as before. The longest-lived businesses operate for 3-5 years. Sometimes, workplaces may even close in 6 months or even a year. It is no longer possible to see grocery stores, greengrocers, butchers in our neighborhood because chains enter their working areas and sell to dictate the price and packaging they want. Over time, this happens in basic food, and in time, it happens in compulsory consumption products, with different prices in one chain and different prices in the other. When prices rise, the number of people competing in the market decreases. Only the points visited can be inspected during the inspections coordinated by the ministries. Such an audit is not possible for those with tens of thousands of stores. For this purpose, the Retail Law should be updated as soon as possible by making legal regulations."
“A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IS REQUIRED IN WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD TRADESMEN CAN SURVIVE”
"If there is competition in the market, prices will fall automatically. In order for people to live more comfortably, their ability to do business should come to the fore. Therefore, the rules of developed countries should be applied in our country as well. Before opening workplaces, the opinions of professional organizations on this issue should be obtained. It is very important to focus on whatever sectors are needed, and even encourage them and allocate resources. We presented our work on this to the ministry. Our Ministry of Commerce is aware of this issue. Therefore, it is vital that the rules are set and implemented to reduce the fight against inflation to a single digit, which our Ministry of Finance, Vice President and President insist on. In order to ensure stability, a competitive environment must be created in which bazaars and neighborhood tradesmen can survive. If there is competition, prices will fall automatically," he added.