Introduction
The Advertising Board in Turkey, known in Turkish as the Reklam Kurulu, is one of the most important administrative authorities in the field of consumer protection and advertising law. It operates under the Ministry of Trade and plays a central role in supervising commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices directed at consumers. For businesses, advertising agencies, influencers, digital platforms, e-commerce sellers and foreign investors targeting Turkish consumers, understanding the powers and decisions of the Advertising Board is essential for legal compliance.
Advertising is a legitimate commercial activity. Companies are entitled to promote their products and services, compare their commercial advantages, run campaigns and communicate with consumers. However, advertising becomes legally risky when it misleads consumers, hides essential information, uses unsupported claims, disguises sponsorship, manipulates consumer choices or violates sector-specific restrictions. The Advertising Board is the main administrative authority responsible for detecting and sanctioning such unlawful practices.
Under Turkish consumer protection practice, commercial advertisements must comply with the principles determined by the Advertising Board and must also be compatible with general morality, public order, personal rights, truthfulness and honesty. The Ministry of Trade also emphasizes that advertisements must not be misleading, must not exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge or experience, must not endanger life or property safety, must not encourage violence or crime, must not harm public health and must not exploit patients, elderly persons, children or persons with disabilities.
The Advertising Board’s role has become even more important in the digital age. Today, advertisements are not limited to television, radio, newspapers or billboards. Consumers encounter commercial messages through social media, influencer posts, e-commerce platforms, online reviews, targeted ads, mobile applications, search engine ads, AI-generated content, push notifications, commercial e-mails and SMS campaigns. As digital advertising techniques become more complex, the Advertising Board increasingly focuses on transparency, substantiation, consumer choice and prevention of unfair commercial practices.
As of 2026, enforcement activity is significant. In its 369th meeting held on 14 May 2026, the Advertising Board reviewed 156 files, found 146 of them unlawful and imposed approximately 23 million Turkish liras in administrative fines; the Ministry of Trade also stated that the Board had imposed a total of 122 million Turkish liras in sanctions in the first four months of 2026. In another 2026 announcement, the Ministry stated that the Board’s 368th meeting, held on 9 April 2026, resulted in 117 unlawful files out of 132 reviewed files and 49,874,780 TL in administrative fines.
This article explains the legal status, powers, decision-making practice and administrative fines of the Advertising Board in Turkey. It also provides practical compliance guidance for businesses seeking to avoid advertising sanctions.
Legal Basis of the Advertising Board in Turkey
The Advertising Board is mainly regulated under Law No. 6502 on the Protection of Consumers and the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices. The Ministry of Trade lists Law No. 6502, the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices, the 2026 administrative fines communiqué, and several advertising-related guides among the official consumer protection legislation and guidance documents.
The Board’s legal mission is closely connected to consumer protection. Turkish advertising law aims to ensure that consumers make economic decisions based on accurate, clear and reliable information. If an advertisement creates a false impression, hides material information or uses a claim that cannot be proven, the consumer’s decision-making process may be distorted. The Advertising Board intervenes in such cases to protect consumers and maintain fair market practices.
The Board’s jurisdiction is broad. It may examine commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices in any medium. This includes traditional media such as television, radio, newspapers, catalogues and outdoor advertising, as well as digital media such as websites, social media accounts, e-commerce marketplaces, mobile applications and online video platforms. The Ministry of Trade describes the Advertising Board as the sole administrative authority authorized to inspect and supervise commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices directed directly or indirectly at consumers in any medium.
Structure of the Advertising Board
The Advertising Board has a mixed institutional structure. According to the Ministry of Trade’s consumer information page, the Board has 19 members; 10 members represent public institutions and organizations, while 9 members represent civil society organizations. The same Ministry page states that the Board is chaired by the General Director of Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance, and that secretariat services are provided by that General Directorate.
This structure is important because the Board does not operate as an ordinary complaint office. It functions as a specialized administrative authority with the power to determine advertising principles, review concrete advertisements, examine unfair commercial practices and impose sanctions. Its decisions therefore affect not only individual advertisers but also broader market behavior.
For legal practitioners and compliance teams, Advertising Board decisions are highly relevant because they reveal how the Board interprets concepts such as misleading advertising, hidden advertising, discount claims, unfair commercial practices, superiority statements, health claims, environmental claims, influencer disclosures and manipulative digital designs. Businesses that follow Board decisions can better anticipate enforcement risk.
Main Powers of the Advertising Board
The Advertising Board has several core powers. First, it determines the principles that commercial advertisements must follow. These principles reflect the requirements of accuracy, honesty, transparency, fairness and consumer protection. An advertisement that violates these principles may be subject to administrative sanctions.
Second, the Board examines commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices. It may review advertisements upon complaint or through its own monitoring activity. This is especially important in digital markets because unlawful advertising may spread quickly and affect a large number of consumers within a short time.
Third, the Board may conduct or request examinations and inspections. It may evaluate evidence, request information and documents, examine the advertiser’s substantiation materials and assess the overall impression created by the advertisement.
Fourth, the Board may impose administrative sanctions. According to the Ministry of Trade, the Board may order suspension, correction by the same method, administrative fines, and, where necessary, temporary suspension for up to three months. The Ministry also states that the Board may decide on access blocking for the relevant part, section or entirety of a website containing unlawful advertisements.
Fifth, the Board may delegate the authority to issue temporary suspension decisions to the Board Chair. This mechanism is significant because it allows unlawful advertisements to be stopped quickly before wider consumer harm occurs. The Ministry expressly states that this delegation enables advertisements contrary to legislation to be stopped within a short time.
Scope of Advertising Board Review
The Advertising Board reviews both commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices. A commercial advertisement is not limited to a formal ad campaign. Promotional statements on a website, a social media post, an influencer video, a marketplace listing, an e-mail campaign, a product label, a discount banner or a sponsored search result may all be examined if they have a commercial purpose.
The Board also reviews unfair commercial practices. Under the Ministry’s consumer information page, a commercial practice directed at consumers is considered unfair if it does not comply with professional diligence and significantly distorts, or is likely to significantly distort, the economic behavior of the average consumer or the average member of the targeted group. The Ministry also states that misleading or aggressive commercial practices are considered unfair and prohibited.
If an unfair commercial practice is carried out through advertising, the provisions concerning commercial advertisements apply and the supervision is conducted by the Advertising Board. This means that the Board’s enforcement authority is not limited to classical false advertising. It may also extend to manipulative sales techniques, misleading online interface designs, fake scarcity messages, hidden costs, fake reviews, deceptive discount structures and other practices that affect consumer behavior.
Misleading Advertising Decisions
Misleading advertising is one of the most common areas of Advertising Board enforcement. An advertisement may be misleading not only because it contains a directly false statement, but also because it creates a deceptive overall impression. The Board evaluates the advertisement from the perspective of the average consumer and examines the advertisement as a whole.
Examples of misleading advertising may include false discount claims, unsupported “number one” statements, deceptive health claims, exaggerated environmental claims, hidden costs, fake scarcity messages, misleading product comparisons, undisclosed sponsorships and unverifiable superiority claims.
The Ministry of Trade’s consumer information page states that hidden advertising is prohibited in all communication media and that footnotes or subtitles containing exceptions to the main promise must be readable and presented at an appropriate speed. This rule is particularly important because advertisers sometimes attempt to neutralize a misleading main message through small disclaimers. In practice, if the dominant message misleads the consumer, a small footnote may not be enough.
The Board also pays attention to substantiation. Claims based on objective, measurable or numerical data must be supported by scientific tests, reports or documents when necessary. The Ministry’s explanation on comparative advertisements specifically states that objective, measurable and numerical claims must be proven through scientific tests, reports or documents.
Comparative Advertising and Board Control
Comparative advertising is allowed in Turkey only under strict conditions. The Ministry of Trade explains that comparative advertisements may be made if they are not misleading, do not create unfair competition, compare goods or services meeting the same needs or intended for the same purpose, compare a matter that benefits consumers, objectively compare one or more material, essential, verifiable and typical characteristics, do not discredit competitors, and do not create confusion with competitors’ marks or signs.
This means that a company cannot freely claim that its product is better than a competitor’s product without evidence. If a comparison is based on price, performance, durability, service quality or technical features, the advertiser should have reliable documents before publication. Unsupported comparisons may trigger Advertising Board scrutiny and also create unfair competition risk.
Comparative advertising is commercially attractive because it allows a brand to position itself against competitors. However, it is legally sensitive because it directly affects both consumers and competing businesses. For this reason, comparative campaigns should be reviewed before publication, and all factual claims should be documented.
Discount Advertising Decisions
Discount advertising is another major enforcement area. Consumers are strongly influenced by expressions such as “discount,” “campaign,” “special offer,” “last chance,” “limited stock,” “lowest price” and “50% off.” The Advertising Board therefore examines whether discount statements are accurate, clear and based on real price history.
The Ministry of Trade states that advertisements indicating discounts must clearly and understandably include the pre-discount price, the start and end dates of the discount sale and the quantity of goods or services offered at discount if the quantity is limited. The Ministry also states that advertisements must not use expressions or visuals that create confusion about which goods or services are discounted, how much discount is applied, or create an impression that the discount is greater than it actually is.
In 2026, the Ministry announced that administrative fines for misleading advertisements and unfair commercial practices may range from 99,339 TL to 39,916,524 TL, taking into account factors such as the unfairness of the violation, the benefit obtained, the harm caused, the fault and economic condition of the violator, the advertising medium and whether the unfair commercial practice occurred nationwide or through advertising.
For e-commerce platforms, discount advertising risk is especially high. Online sellers should maintain reliable price history records, avoid artificial price increases before campaigns and clearly disclose campaign conditions. If the discount applies only to selected products, limited stock, certain payment methods, member-only purchases or minimum basket amounts, these conditions should be visible before the consumer makes a transactional decision.
Digital Advertising and Access Blocking
The Advertising Board’s powers are particularly important in digital advertising. Digital advertisements may be published on websites, social media accounts, e-commerce platforms, mobile applications, marketplaces, video platforms, sponsored content networks and search engines. Because online ads can reach consumers rapidly and may be difficult to control after publication, quick administrative intervention may be necessary.
The Ministry of Trade states that the Board may impose access blocking together with other sanctions for the relevant part, section or entirety of a website containing unlawful advertisements. This is a powerful enforcement mechanism for online advertising violations.
Recent practice confirms that access blocking is actively used. In the Board’s 369th meeting, the Ministry announced that access blocking was decided for 17 advertisements. The same announcement also referred to the Ministry’s continued fight against misleading advertisements, unfair commercial practices and digital manipulations that harm consumers.
Businesses should therefore treat digital advertising compliance seriously. A misleading online campaign may not only result in a monetary penalty but also in suspension of the advertisement, correction obligations and access blocking measures that directly affect online visibility and commercial operations.
Influencer Marketing and Social Media Decisions
Influencer marketing is increasingly examined by the Advertising Board. Social media content may look personal and spontaneous, but if the influencer receives payment, free products, discounts, services, travel, event access or other benefits, the content has a commercial dimension. Consumers must be able to understand that the post is advertising.
The Ministry of Trade lists the guide on commercial advertisements and unfair commercial practices by social media influencers among its official advertising-related guides. The Ministry’s earlier announcement on influencer guidance also states that advertisements made through influencers must be clear, understandable and distinguishable, and that hidden advertising is prohibited on social media.
For brands and influencers, the Advertising Board’s approach means that disclosure must be visible, understandable and suitable for the platform. A disclosure hidden among many hashtags or placed at the end of a long caption may not be sufficient. In videos or live broadcasts, the disclosure should be shown or repeated in a way that consumers can actually notice.
Influencer advertising also creates substantiation risk. An influencer cannot lawfully make claims that the advertiser itself could not make. Claims such as “this product cures,” “guaranteed result,” “clinically proven,” “number one,” “the best,” or “doctor recommended” should be used only if they are legally permitted and supported by reliable evidence.
Health, Food, Cosmetic and Sensitive Sector Advertising
The Advertising Board pays particular attention to sensitive sectors. The Ministry of Trade’s consumer information page states that advertisements for medicines, human medicinal products, medical devices, health services, food, food supplements, cosmetics and cleaning products, biocidal products, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages must also comply with the advertisement and promotion provisions in their own sector-specific legislation.
This means that compliance with general advertising law is not enough in sensitive sectors. A food supplement advertisement, for example, may be examined both under general advertising rules and food supplement-specific rules. A cosmetic advertisement may become unlawful if it creates a medical treatment impression. A healthcare-related advertisement may be restricted even if the statements are presented as consumer testimonials.
The Ministry also states that testimonial advertisements cannot include images, statements or references suggesting that doctors, dentists, veterinarians, pharmacists or health institutions make health claims regarding a product or service.
For businesses operating in these sectors, pre-publication legal review is essential. The risk is not limited to administrative fines. Unlawful health-related advertising may also result in sector-specific regulatory action and serious reputational harm.
Administrative Fines Imposed by the Advertising Board
Administrative fines are one of the Board’s most important enforcement tools. The amount of the fine may vary depending on the medium, the nature of the violation, the scale of consumer harm, the benefit obtained and other legally relevant factors.
For 2026, the Ministry of Trade announced that fines for misleading advertisements and unfair commercial practices can range from 99,339 TL to 39,916,524 TL. The Ministry explained that the amount may depend on the unfairness of the violation, the benefit obtained or damage caused, the fault and economic condition of the violator, the medium of the advertisement, and whether the unfair commercial practice occurs nationwide or through advertising.
The Ministry also states that the Board’s administrative fines vary depending on the medium in which the advertisement is published, and that if the same violation is repeated within one year, fines may be imposed up to ten times the ordinary amount.
Recent enforcement numbers demonstrate that fines are not symbolic. On 9 April 2026, the Board reviewed 132 files, found 117 unlawful and imposed 49,874,780 TL in administrative fines. On 14 May 2026, it reviewed 156 files, found 146 unlawful and imposed approximately 23 million TL in administrative fines, while also deciding access blocking for 17 advertisements.
Suspension, Correction and Temporary Suspension
Administrative fines are not the only sanction. The Advertising Board may also order the suspension of an unlawful advertisement. Suspension is especially important because it stops the unlawful message from continuing to reach consumers.
The Board may also order correction by the same method. This means that if a misleading advertisement was published through a certain medium, the correction may also be required through a similar medium so that consumers receive accurate information.
The Board may impose temporary suspension for up to three months where necessary. The Ministry states that the Board may delegate the authority to issue temporary suspension decisions to the Board Chair, enabling unlawful advertisements to be stopped quickly.
For businesses, these measures can be commercially significant. A campaign may be planned months in advance and supported by media buying, influencer agreements, agency costs and production expenses. If the Board orders suspension, the company may lose not only the campaign investment but also commercial momentum and brand credibility.
Complaint Mechanism Before the Advertising Board
Consumers, competitors and other interested persons may bring advertising and unfair commercial practice complaints before the Advertising Board. The Ministry of Trade states that complaints regarding advertisements and unfair commercial practices may be submitted to the Advertising Board Presidency operating under the Ministry. The same Ministry page notes that Advertising Board applications can now be made through e-Devlet.
This accessibility increases enforcement risk for businesses. A misleading advertisement may be reported not only by consumers but also by competitors, consumer associations or other market actors. In digital advertising, screenshots, links, archived pages and social media records can quickly become complaint evidence.
Businesses should therefore preserve substantiation documents and approval records for each campaign. If the Board requests information, the advertiser should be able to demonstrate that the claims were accurate, that the discount was real, that the disclosure was clear, and that any comparative or scientific statement was supported by evidence.
How Businesses Should Respond to Advertising Board Investigations
When a company receives an information or defense request from the Advertising Board, it should respond carefully and within the prescribed time. The response should not be treated as a routine administrative formality. It may determine whether the Board finds a violation and what sanction is imposed.
A strong defense should include the advertisement’s publication dates, medium, target audience, campaign purpose, substantiation documents, price records, product specifications, scientific reports, expert opinions, screenshots, consumer-facing disclosures and internal approval records. If the company has already corrected or removed the advertisement, this should be explained with evidence.
However, removal after complaint does not always eliminate liability. If the advertisement was already published and consumers were exposed to it, the Board may still evaluate whether the content was unlawful at the time of publication. Therefore, prevention is always more effective than post-complaint correction.
Judicial Review of Advertising Board Decisions
Advertising Board decisions are administrative acts. Therefore, they may be challenged before the administrative judiciary under general principles of Turkish administrative law. A company subject to an administrative fine, suspension decision or other sanction may consider filing an annulment action if it believes the decision is unlawful.
Possible arguments may include lack of misleading character, sufficient substantiation, incorrect assessment of the average consumer, disproportionate sanction, procedural irregularity, wrong determination of the responsible party or incorrect interpretation of the applicable regulation. However, each case must be assessed according to its own facts and evidence.
Judicial review does not eliminate the importance of compliance. Litigation may take time, and the commercial harm caused by suspension, access blocking or reputational damage may occur immediately. Therefore, companies should not rely only on litigation strategy after a sanction; they should build preventive advertising compliance systems.
Advertising Compliance Checklist for Businesses in Turkey
Businesses targeting Turkish consumers should establish a structured advertising compliance process. Before publication, the following questions should be asked:
Is the advertisement truthful, honest and clear?
Can every factual claim be proven with reliable evidence?
Does the advertisement create a misleading overall impression?
Are all essential conditions visible and understandable?
Are discount dates, previous prices and stock limits clearly stated?
Are comparative claims objective, verifiable and not discrediting competitors?
Is influencer or sponsored content clearly disclosed?
Are health, cosmetic, food supplement or medical claims legally permitted?
Are environmental claims specific and documented?
Are digital interfaces free from manipulative design?
Are children, elderly persons, patients or other vulnerable groups protected?
Are sector-specific restrictions checked?
Are screenshots, price records, scientific reports and approval documents preserved?
This checklist should be used before the campaign goes live. In advertising law, later explanations often cannot fully repair a misleading first impression. The safest approach is to design campaigns in a way that is both commercially effective and legally defensible.
Conclusion
The Advertising Board in Turkey is a central enforcement authority for commercial advertising and unfair commercial practices. It has broad powers to determine advertising principles, examine advertisements, conduct inspections, impose administrative fines, order suspension or correction, issue temporary suspension measures and decide access blocking for unlawful online advertisements.
Recent enforcement figures show that the Board is active and that sanctions may be significant. In 2026, administrative fines for misleading advertisements and unfair commercial practices can reach substantial amounts, and repeat violations may increase exposure. Board decisions also affect digital advertising, influencer marketing, discount campaigns, comparative advertisements, health-related claims, environmental statements and unfair commercial practices.
For businesses, the main lesson is clear: advertising compliance should be part of campaign design, not a last-minute legal check. Advertisements directed at Turkish consumers must be truthful, substantiated, transparent and fair. Claims should be supported before publication, disclosures should be visible, discounts should be real, and sensitive sector restrictions should be carefully reviewed.
A business that understands the powers and decision-making practice of the Advertising Board in Turkey is better positioned to avoid sanctions, protect consumer trust and compete lawfully in the Turkish market.
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