Unfair Commercial Practices in Consumer Law
The Law on Consumer Protection (Law No. 6502) has introduced various regulations to protect consumers against unfair commercial practices. In this blog post, we will discuss what unfair commercial practices are, what behaviors are considered unfair, and how consumers can be protected against such practices.
What is an Unfair Commercial Practice?
An unfair commercial practice is any commercial practice that significantly disrupts or is likely to disrupt the economic behavior of an average consumer and is contrary to professional care. These practices can mislead or harass consumers, causing them to make an erroneous decision.
What Behaviors Are Considered Unfair?
Some examples of unfair commercial practices included in the Law on Consumer Protection are as follows:
Misleading advertising: Making advertisements that contain false or misleading information.
Aggressive advertising: Behaving in a manner that is disturbing, harassing, or threatening to the consumer.
Deception in pricing: Showing the price of products or services in a false manner.
Deception in sales incentives: Misleading consumers with sales incentives such as gifts, discounts or sweepstakes.
Selling counterfeit goods: Selling counterfeit goods that look like genuine products.
Unfair contract terms: Imposing contract terms that disadvantage the consumer.
How Can Consumers Be Protected Against Unfair Commercial Practices?
Consumers can take the following steps to protect themselves against unfair commercial practices:
Doing research before making a purchase: Doing research on the internet to learn about the product or service and reading other consumers’ comments.
Looking carefully at the information in advertisements: Approaching the information in advertisements critically and being careful about information that may be untrue or misleading.
Comparing prices: Finding the best price by getting price quotes from different sellers.
Keeping receipts and invoices documenting the purchase transaction: It is important to keep receipts and invoices documenting the purchase transaction so that you can defend your legal rights in the event of an unfair situation.
Applying to the competent authorities in the event of an unfair situation: You can defend your rights by applying to Consumer Arbitration Boards or the courts in the event of an unfair situation.
