Amidst economic crisis, 90 percent of Turkey’s population live below poverty line, report shows

Duvar English  

More than 76.5 million people in Turkey are currently living below the poverty line, corresponding to more than 90% of the country’s population, daily Sözü said, citing a new report by Turkey’s Consumer Rights Association (THD). 

Over 25.5 million people are living below the hunger threshold, calculated as 4,433 Turkish Lira monthly, while an additional 51 million consumers live below the poverty line, 5,584 Turkish Lira per month. People in Turkey have faced sky-high inflation and price hikes in recent months, plunging much of the country into abject poverty.

Turhan Çakar, president of THD, condemns the economic situation plaguing Turkish citizens. 

“Our people are in this situation because priority is given to capital, not consumer rights,” he said.

In honor of Consumer Rights Day, recognized as March 15 around the world, Çakar called for solutions to help people meet their basic needs.

“Hunger and poverty are increasing day by day in Turkey. The majority of consumers cannot meet their basic needs,” he said.

Turkey is a signatory to the declaration of universal consumer rights, he indicated and therefore is obliged to ensure the protection of its consumers. Çakar said that in Turkey many of the protections promised in the declaration are not ensured. Consumers are not adequately legally represented and their complaints are not taken seriously.

Protecting consumers would not only help people escape poverty in Turkey, he said, but would also help the country to develop.

“We expect universal consumer rights to be fully implemented in our country. With this, consumers can access their rights and the development of our country can be ensured,” Çakar said.