Bendevi Palandöken

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).

A combination of Eid al-Fitr and Mother's Day has led to an increase in retail sales, according to sector representatives.

The demand for Mother's Day shopping, to be marked on May 9, has come at a time when people already have started shopping for Eid, which will take place on May 2-4 at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Feb. 11 that the Turkish government is determined to draw up broad measures soon that will provide relief to families and businesses amid soaring utility bills.

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.

Some 6,087 workers have been killed on the job in the last five years in Turkey, according to Confederation of Merchants and Craftsmen (TESK) chair Bendevi Palandöken.

"These accidents are occurring due to both faults by employers and employees," Palandöken said in a statement issued on Dec. 4, adding that work accidents were increasing year by year.