Influencer Ads, Consumer Reviews and Discount Rules

What changed in the Commercial Advertising Regulation?

The Regulation Amending the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices was published in the Official Gazette of 1 July 2026 (no. 33297). It entered into force on 1 August 2026.

The amendment can be grouped under four headings: advertising by social media influencers, publication of consumer reviews, the display of discounted prices, and environmental claims. Additional obligations were introduced for labelling artificial intelligence content and for targeted advertising.

The rules bind not only large brands but also small businesses selling online and content creators who post in return for payment or benefits in kind. Our work in consumer disputes is described on the Antalya consumer law attorney page.

New definitions added to the Regulation

Four new concepts were added to the definitions article, and they determine the scope of the amendment.

A social media influencer is a person who promotes goods or services, whether their own or another's, through a social media account. The definition does not depend on follower count or on whether the person acts professionally.

A consumer review covers consumers' opinions, ratings and comments concerning goods or services. An environmental claim covers any express or implied statement about the environmental impact of goods, services or the business itself.

Practices previously debated under general provisions are now subject to express rules.

The ten-day rule for discounted prices

The change that raises the most questions in practice concerns the display of discounts.

Under the new rule, the prior price of goods or services offered at a discount is determined by reference to the lowest price applied during the ten days preceding the date on which the discount takes effect.

The rule directly targets the practice of raising a price shortly before a campaign and then advertising a large percentage reduction. Price movements before a campaign must now be recorded and, where necessary, proved.

The practical consequence for businesses is that the ten-day price history preceding each campaign must be retained. In an inspection, the accuracy of the advertised discount will be assessed against those records.

Influencer advertising: article 23/A

Article 23/A, newly added to the Regulation, deals with influencer advertising under a separate heading.

The basic rule is that it must be clearly apparent that the content is an advertisement. Where a post is made in return for payment, a gift product or any other benefit, that relationship cannot be concealed from the consumer.

An influencer may not make experience-based statements about goods or services they have not personally used. Restrictions also apply to statements promising health-related outcomes.

Responsibility does not rest with the brand alone; the person making the promotion is also an addressee of the rules. Sponsorship agreements should therefore set out in writing the obligations of each party and the form of disclosure to be used.

Consumer reviews: only from actual purchasers

Article 28/B governs the publication of consumer reviews.

As a rule, only reviews by consumers who have actually purchased or used the goods or services may be published. The seller or supplier is required to verify that the review meets this condition.

Highlighting favourable reviews while concealing unfavourable ones, or pushing them down in the ordering, falls within the scope of this provision. Obtaining reviews in return for payment is likewise not permitted.

For businesses selling through e-commerce marketplaces, the provision creates a concrete record-keeping obligation.

The seller's response window is now 48 hours

Article 28/C governs the period within which a seller or supplier may respond to a consumer review.

The seventy-two hour period previously applied has been reduced to forty-eight hours. If no response is given within that period, the review is published.

The shorter period requires businesses to accelerate their internal process when an unfavourable review appears. Designating a person responsible for monitoring reviews makes compliance considerably easier.

Failure to exercise the right of reply does not prevent publication of the review; it merely removes the opportunity to add the business's own explanation.

Environmental claims and greenwashing

The rules on environmental claims are built on the principle of verifiability.

Claims that goods or services are environmentally sound must be capable of proof through documents or certificates issued by accredited bodies. General and unmeasurable statements do not satisfy this test.

Presenting an improvement achieved in only one component or one stage of production as though it related to the product as a whole is likewise not accepted.

In sectors where environmental claims are common, such as tourism and food, promotional texts should be reviewed together with the supporting documentation.

Artificial intelligence content and targeted advertising

A paragraph added to article 18 requires that where artificial intelligence generated images, audio or digital characters are used in advertising, that fact must be stated in a manner the consumer can understand.

Paragraphs added to article 27 prohibit the use of AI-generated digital copies of real persons in a way that creates the impression of an endorsement the person has not in fact given. The same article contains restrictions on advertising medicinal products for human use, electronic cigarettes, tobacco and alcoholic beverages.

Article 25/A governs targeted advertising, adopting the principle that consumers must be informed where advertising is served on the basis of personal data.

Read together, these three headings show that the Regulation has been extended to cover the full range of digital promotional tools.

A compliance checklist for businesses

Because the rules took effect on 1 August 2026, compliance work should not be delayed.

The first step is price records: a system must be in place to retain the ten-day price history preceding each campaign.

The second step is contracts: agreements with influencers should set out in writing the form of the advertising label, the limits on experience-based statements and the allocation of responsibility.

The third step is review management: purchase verification, the forty-eight hour response window and the principle that unfavourable reviews are not concealed should be built into internal processes.

The fourth step is a review of promotional texts: environmental claims should be supported by documents and AI-generated content should be labelled. For the general route followed in files concerning businesses in Antalya, see the Konyaaltı lawyer page.

Frequently asked questions

When did the new advertising rules enter into force?

The amending regulation was published in the Official Gazette of 1 July 2026, no. 33297, and entered into force on 1 August 2026.

How is the pre-discount price calculated?

The prior price of goods or services offered at a discount is determined by reference to the lowest price applied during the ten days preceding the date on which the discount takes effect.

Is an advertising label mandatory for influencer posts?

Under article 23/A it must be clearly apparent that promotion made in return for payment or any other benefit is an advertisement; that relationship cannot be concealed from the consumer.

Can someone who has not bought the product leave a review?

Under article 28/B, as a rule only reviews by consumers who have actually purchased or used the goods or services may be published, and the seller must verify this.

How long does a seller have to respond to a negative review?

Article 28/C reduced the period from seventy-two hours to forty-eight hours. If no response is given within that period, the review is published.

Are documents required to use the phrase environmentally friendly?

Environmental claims must be capable of proof through documents or certificates issued by accredited bodies; general and unmeasurable statements do not satisfy this test.

Must AI-generated advertising images be disclosed?

A paragraph added to article 18 requires that the artificial intelligence origin of images, audio or digital characters used in advertising be stated in a manner the consumer can understand.

The amendment brings under regulation areas of digital promotion that were largely unsupervised. In terms of exposure to administrative fines, the two most concrete headings are discount display and review management, both of which create record-keeping duties.

To have advertising copy, sponsorship agreements or a review policy reviewed, you may reach the office through the contact page.

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For further detail on the matters discussed here, see our Consumer Law page.

The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult a lawyer about your own situation.