A big risk in Ramadan shopping: "Don’t be deceived by attractive prices"
With Ramadan just around the corner, citizens, as every year, have started their Ramadan shopping. However, high prices have led many to seek alternative products. TESK President Palandöken warned, stating, "Especially for sweets, candies, cheese, olives, meat products, sausages, and salami, there are great risks."
Ramadan will begin on March 1. Believers will gather around iftar tables for one month. During this busy shopping period, Bendevi Palandöken, the President of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), warned that "underground productions" are increasing, and citizens need to be cautious.
He pointed out that unhealthy and unidentified products are being sold at more attractive prices, and many of these products are not only risky for health but also contain poor-quality ingredients.
THEY AVOID INSPECTIONS
Palandöken mentioned that in recent inspections by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, many products contained excessive additives and potentially harmful substances. "Underground producers, however, can completely avoid inspections. This highlights the potential danger of these products," he said.
BEWARE OF ROADSIDE STALLS AND WEBSITES
Palandöken emphasized the risks, especially with products like sweets, candies, cheese, olives, meat products, sausages, and salami, stating, "Because the content of these products is not clear, and labels may contain misleading information. We should avoid cheap and unlabeled products, especially those sold by roadside vendors or unreliable websites."
ARE ORGANIC PRODUCTS REALLY ORGANIC?
Palandöken advised consumers to stick with brands they have trusted in the past. He emphasized the importance of researching the content and producer of products before trying something new. "Especially in recent years, as interest in natural and organic products has increased, many people are selling food under the name of village products," Palandöken said. "However, we don't know how natural these products are. Some producers may engage in unhealthy production solely for commercial profit and market it under the label of being 'natural.'"
