The Hong-Kong based healthcare and beauty chain Watsons' Turkey general manager announced yesterday that the company will launch production in Turkey.

Mete Yurddaş said they reached the decision due to customer demands and their growing sensitivity toward prices and the increase in the exchange rates that have led to rise in costs. He stressed that Turkey harbors many producers running operations at international standards.

"Turkish citizens currently prefer cheaper products than goods with fashionable brands. Observing this tendency, we have decided to produce Watsons-branded goods in Turkey, starting with the most-demanded products," the general manager said.

"Around 30 t0 40 products at the shelves of Watsons' stores are made in Turkey," he added. "We have begun with the production of personal care goods which are sold at prices 50 percent lower than their equivalents," he stressed. By the end of the year, the company will raise the number of products produced in Turkey to 100 and next year, 200 Watsons-branded products will be manufactured in Turkey. "If the production of these goods becomes successful, we will start exporting them," Yurddaş said.

The company aims to manufacture 25 percent of its total product range in Turkey.

The Far Eastern company has 350 stores in Turkey and plans to add 50 to 60 more to its network within the next three years.

"The global brands sold at Watsons' stores also plan to grow in Turkey," Yurddaş noted and emphasized that this will positively impact the company's sales.