Price labels: what is required and what is not
The fields a retail price label must carry are set by Türkiye’s Price Label Regulation: country of production, distinguishing feature, the sale price including all taxes, and the unit price. This page lists the required fields with article references, sets out the difference between paper and electronic labels, and points to tools for testing your own template.
Fields the label must carry
Article 5(2) of the regulation lists the information that must appear on labels and lists. The fields below apply to every label, whatever the product.
- Country of origin The country in which the goods were produced must appear on the label.
- Distinguishing feature identifying the goods Information that identifies what the product is; a brand name alone is not enough.
- Sale price including all taxes The final price the consumer pays; showing a pre-tax price is not sufficient.
- Date from which the price is valid The date from which the price applies must be visible on the label.
- All information in Turkish The most commonly missed requirement. Default templates prepared for other markets often leave field names in English.
- Easily visible and legible The regulation requires the label to be legible. Shrinking type to fit mandatory fields on a small screen creates a compliance risk — the template simulator measures this.
Fields that depend on the product
These do not apply to every product; they depend on whether it is packaged or loose, where it originates, and whether it carries a deposit or is on discount.
- Unit price — Price per item, kilogram, litre, metre or square metre. Mandatory for packaged goods. If the unit price equals the sale price it need not be shown separately.
- Trade mark — For goods of Turkish origin the trade mark must be shown.
- Deposit amount — Where a deposit applies, the deposit amount must be shown separately.
- Pre-discount price — In a discounted sale both the discounted and the previous price are shown. The previous price is the LOWEST price applied in the ten days before the discount — which requires the software to have access to ten days of price history.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Article references follow the Official Gazette text of the Price Label Regulation; the amendment of 11 October 2025 affected several articles, including tare weight, QR codes and how the previous price is calculated in a discount. What binds you is the text in force and the assessment of the competent authorities.
Paper label or electronic label?
The required fields are the same for both; the regulation does not list different information depending on whether the label is paper or a screen. The difference is in how the information gets updated.
Paper label
Low unit cost and no infrastructure required. When a price changes it must be reprinted and swapped by hand; the more often prices change, the more staff hours it costs and the greater the risk of a mismatch between shelf and checkout.
Electronic shelf label (ESL)
The price updates together with the checkout record, with no manual step. In return there is a per-label hardware cost, access point infrastructure and a software licence. The sums close faster in aisles where prices change often.
Try it on your own label
A list of required fields is not enough on its own: the real question is whether they fit legibly on the size you picked.
- Template simulator Tick the required fields and see the label drawn at true size.
- Compliance checklist Works out which fields your product type requires, with the basis for each item cited.
- True size viewer Calibrate your screen with a bank card and see the label at life size.
- Total cost calculator Puts the multi-year cost of paper and electronic labels side by side.
Frequently asked
Which fields are required on a price label?
Under Article 5(2) the label must show the country of production, the distinguishing feature of the goods, the sale price including all taxes, and the unit price. The information must be in Turkish and easily visible and legible. Depending on the product, fields such as the pre-discount price, deposit and origin are added.
Are electronic shelf labels allowed?
Yes. The regulation does not restrict the medium in which price information is shown; a screen may be used as long as the required fields are complete and legible. The amendment of 11 October 2025 expressly addressed the use of electronic devices for products such as books, magazines and newspapers.
Is a unit price always required?
No. Article 5(6) states that where the unit price is the same as the sale price, the unit price need not be shown separately. For goods sold by weight the unit price is the decisive figure.
How is the previous price set in a discount?
The lowest price applied in the ten days before the discount is taken as the basis; for perishable goods the immediately preceding price applies. This is the rule that prevents raising a price days before a sale and then presenting it as discounted.
Who enforces price label rules?
Under Article 13 the Ministry, municipalities and the relevant chambers are responsible for applying and monitoring the rules. The most common findings in inspections are a missing unit price, type too small to read, and a mismatch between the shelf and the checkout.