The significant increase in alcohol prices in Türkiye due to high taxation has fueled the production and consumption of counterfeit alcohol. Despite frequent raids seizing thousands of bottles of counterfeit liquor, authorities have been unable to curb its production and distribution. Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 people have lost their lives due to counterfeit alcohol poisoning.
Highlight on high alcohol costs
International media reports have highlighted that alcohol prices in Türkiye have soared due to increased taxes, making alcoholic beverages prohibitively expensive. News outlets have noted that these high costs are pushing consumers, as well as shops, restaurants, and bars, towards unlicensed and homemade alcohol, thereby increasing the risk of poisoning incidents.
In response to the recent surge in counterfeit alcohol-related deaths, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office issued an urgent travel advisory for Türkiye, urging British nationals to purchase alcoholic beverages only from licensed vendors.
"Opportunists exploit our vulnerabilities"
Kaya Demirer, Chairman of the Tourism Restaurant Investors and Gastronomy Enterprises Association (TURYİD), told Cumhuriyet newspaper that reputable restaurants are unlikely to risk selling counterfeit alcohol. He emphasized that short-sighted, opportunistic businesses lacking integrity pose a significant threat to both the gastronomy and tourism sectors. Demirer advised tourists and guests to prioritize establishments with well-established corporate structures for their safety.
Tour operators raise concerns over counterfeit alcohol
Serdar Karcılıoğlu, a tourism professional from Bodrum, attributed the rise in counterfeit alcohol to the high prices driven by inflation and increased taxes. He pointed out that the high cost of alcohol often leads to disputes between sellers and customers, prompting some to resort to counterfeit alcohol as a means of survival. Karcılıoğlu acknowledged that tourists are understandably concerned about counterfeit alcohol, adding that foreign tour operators have begun raising this issue during contract negotiations with hotels—a troubling development for the industry's reputation and safety standards.
