INFORMATION NOTE
Wife: 24.05.2025 dated “Regulation Amending the Regulation on Distance Contracts”
Published in the Official Gazette: No. 32909, May 24, 2025
Effective Date:January 1, 2026
The Amending Regulation published by the Ministry of Trade in the Official Gazette dated May 24, 2025 and numbered 32909 introduced important amendments regarding distance contracts. The Regulation aims to protect consumers and imposes new obligations on sellers and providers.
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Return Shipping Fee Arrangement on Withdrawal
The previous regulation that allowed the return shipping fee to be charged to the consumer for returns made within the scope of the right of withdrawal has been abandoned. With the new regulation, when the consumer exercises the right of withdrawal, the return shipping fee will now be borne by the seller or provider.
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Expansion of the Scope of the Right of Withdrawal
Some products that were previously excluded from the right of withdrawal (mobile phones, tablets, computers, smart watches, products that require certain installation, land vehicles subject to registration, unmanned aerial vehicles and sales made through live auctions) were included in the scope of the right of withdrawal again. This amendment expands the right of withdrawal in favor of the consumer.
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Adding Mediation Information to the Preliminary Information Form
Pursuant to Article 73/A of the Law No. 6502, in disputes subject to mandatory mediation, it has become mandatory to include the information regarding the mediation clause in the preliminary information form. Sellers and providers are obliged to clearly state this information in the preliminary information documents, effective as of January 1, 2026.
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Evaluation:
The regulations include important steps towards strengthening consumer rights, and parties engaged in distance sales should prepare to fulfill their new obligations until the effective date.