While the increase in tea was reflected on the market shelves, it also left the tradesmen selling tea in a difficult situation.
Pasha Aytekin, who has been running a tea shop for 21 years, said, “I made a raise a month ago. We were confused about what to do. I’m selling tea for two liras right now. Thankfully, our president made us need bread,” he said. Habip Karabacak “We had a raise recently. The number of tea drinkers has also decreased.”
Turhan Çakar, President of the Consumer Rights Association, stated that tea is the most basic beverage of Turkish consumers and said, “Turkey ranks first among the societies that use tea the most in the world. The increase of more than 40 percent for the most basic requirement will cause a great distress to the consumers. The government needs to intervene immediately. Consumer rights are underfoot. The concept of social state is underfoot. It’s enough. The government should take a stand on the side of the people, not the companies,” he said.
