Sales density was experienced in the markets in Istanbul. Customers who wanted to stock up on food and hygiene because of the coronavirus had emptied their market shelves. It was seen that products such as pasta, dry food, sugar and cologne on the shelves were finished. In addition, the warnings of “limited to limited numbers for each customer” on the shelves were also noted for some products.
Aydın Ağaoğlu, Honorary President of the Consumer Application Center, "I can not accept our nation to show the same behavior while we blame the Germans who attack the markets with the threat of coronavirus. The people of our country are noble and do not take more than necessary. Most of them will be wasted, maybe they will be thrown away. Our job with this excessive demand is to apply oil to the stockist, the profiteer's bread. When we unload the shelves, the stockist will release the goods that are in his hands more costly. Actually, it's a crime. Stocking, profiteering, and blacksmithing are prohibited in both our criminal law and the Turkish Commercial Code. Increasing prices is not within the scope of unfair commercial practice, but without an increase in input costs or influencing foreign exchange prices, but the main task falls on the consumer. The consumer should use his power from not consuming," he said.
Ağaoğlu should take the minimum of the need to empty the shelves, so that the stockists who apply exorbitant prices in either surgical masks, hygiene products, or legumes, should not succeed. "It is our duty to complain to the Ministry of Commerce. There are 'Alo 175 Consumer Line'. He can be complained there too."
Aydın Ağaoğlu stated that consumers who buy products that are expensive can get the difference between their normal price and said, “In addition, the mobile complaint line HFA (Unfair Price Increase) Complaint Notification, which is implemented by the Ministry of Commerce, allows the consumer to complain easily for free. In the meantime, my advice to consumers who buy products at expensive prices is that they should either go to the Consumer Arbitration Committees in person or free of charge via the internet system to return the difference between the normal price and the exorbitant price," he said.
PRODUCT STOCK IS ENOUGH
The Food Retailers Association stated that there is no problem in supplying products and services to consumers and that the sector is ready by taking precautions, both as product stocks and personnel.
In addition, regarding the limited sales of certain products for each customer in the markets, Ağaoğlu said that if some sellers act prudently and do not sell over a certain amount, this is the embarrassment of us. Consumers should act consciously, especially in such periods, they should always take the one-week need they need for three days. In other words, it should consume half what it is buying and half what it is consuming.