The Ministry of Commerce has mandated the use of digital and electronic boards for displaying price tariffs in front of food establishments such as cafes and restaurants.
The new regulation, part of the amended Price Label Regulation, requires documents, signs and panels related to tariffs and price lists to be prominently displayed at the entrance door of restaurants, cafes, patisseries and similar establishments, as well as on the tables where they provide service.
The ministry made this amendment to the regulation to enhance transparency and make pricing information more accessible to consumers. The move comes after a series of questions and opinions were raised by industry stakeholders seeking clarification on the implementation of the new requirement.
In response to inquiries from the industry, the ministry prepared a letter to inform businesses about the specifics of the implementation. According to the letter, self-service businesses in the food and beverage industry (those not providing table service) must ensure that tariffs and price lists are easily visible and readable at the points where orders are placed and payments are made. Although such establishments are not required to place menus on tables, they must display price lists at their entrance doors.
In shared spaces like shopping malls, where multiple restaurants operate, businesses are not obliged to display tariffs and price lists at the entrance doors since they share common entrances. However, these businesses should make sure that tariffs and price lists are clearly visible to consumers at points where orders and payments are made within the shopping mall.
Traditional businesses offering table service must have price lists in front of their entrance doors, and these lists should be displayed at the service desk until consumers place their orders. If a business has multiple entrances, separate price lists are required for each door.
The tariffs and lists displayed at entrance doors can take the form of digital or electronic boards or signs that are easily visible and readable by consumers. They can also be included in the form of a menu or other preferred formats, as long as they meet the visibility and readability criteria.
It's worth noting that businesses solely using QR-coded menus will not be considered compliant with the regulation. While QR-coded menus can be offered as an additional service, they do not fulfill the obligation to display price tariffs. Any non-compliance detected during inspections will result in administrative sanctions, with fines set at TL 2,172 ($71.65) for each violation. The ministry aims to ensure businesses adhere to these rules through rigorous inspections.
