Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen

The shortage of skilled and unskilled labor has become a headache for Turkish small and medium-sized industrial enterprises as well as retailers.

"Nobody wants to be a blue-collar worker anymore," scoffed Adlıhan Dere from the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), voicing concern that some professions may even soon disappear.

This year's weddings are expected to contribute 500 billion Turkish Liras ($15.3 billion) to the economy as the season kicks off early this year, a sector representative has said.

Many consumers are putting spending on hold this summer amid hikes in the value-added tax (VAT), buying only essential goods, daily Milliyet has reported.

Normally consumer spending increases in summer months as people buy new appliances and furniture. Weddings also give a boost to sales.

Around 600,000 couples are expected to tie the knot this year in Türkiye, with a wedding ceremony costing at least 250,000 Turkish Liras.

Weddings are giving a boost to consumer goods and services. Couples are buying white goods, furniture and home appliances and paying large amounts for renting venues, hairdressers and other wedding-related services.

More businesses have decided to join large supermarket chains in freezing prices as consumer inflation started to show signs of slipping last month with officials expecting a downward trend in inflation to continue in the coming months.

A loan package announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been welcomed by the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) and the Central Union of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Credit and Bail Cooperatives Unions (TESKOMB).

As the number of daily cases of COVID-19 infections continues to rise despite Turkey's ongoing vaccination drive, a merchants' confederation has made a call to its members, demanding only vaccinated people should work at businesses.

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Bakeries, pharmacies and private and public hospitals will be open during this weekend's lockdown, the Interior Ministry has said on April 16. 

The 48-hour curfew will be effective on April 17 at midnight in the country's 31 provinces, including the three largest cities of Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir.

Turkey will unveil measures to reduce the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak this week, the treasury and finance minister said on March 16.

"President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will announce steps to be taken this week," Berat Albayrak said on Twitter.

Albayrak stressed that the country prioritized being prepared for the effects of coronavirus outbreak on the economy.

The highest percentage of female shopkeepers by population is in the western province of Çanakkale, a recent report by the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) has revealed.