Turkey's Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority has announced a series of changes which collectively support competition among alcohol brands, for sellers of open alcoholic beverages. The changes include new requirements for sellers to stock multiple products within the same alcohol category, prohibit exclusivity arrangements, as well as disclose certain minimum information on their menus.
The Regulation Regarding Changes to Be Made on The Regulation on Procedures and Principles Regarding Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products and Alcoholic Beverages ("Amendment Regulation") was published in Official Gazette number 30144 on 4 August 2017.
Notable changes introduced by the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority include:
- Sellers of open alcoholic beverage must now offer at least two different firms' products for sale within each alcohol category (except beer).
- Agreements between sellers of open alcoholic beverage and producers, importers or wholesalers must not contain exclusivity provisions, or provisions which restrict/limit market competition. Existing agreements which contain exclusivity provisions must be amended by 4 August 2018.
- Sellers of open alcoholic beverage must now information in their menus regarding the brand, service/packaging size and price for all products.
- For certificates to sell alcohol
which were issued based on tourism investment certificates, the
certificate holder must now provide documentation to show the
certified place is at least 100 meters away from:
- Formal education institutions.
- Private education course rooms.
- Dormitories.
- Places of worship.
Please see this link for the full text of the Amendment Regulation (only available in Turkish).
Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
