Türkiye’s Competition Authority (Rekabet Kurumu – RK) has concluded its comprehensive investigation into undertakings operating in the white meat sector, imposing administrative fines amounting to approximately TL 3.7 billion (around USD 89 million) and introducing new regulatory obligations aimed at reshaping sectoral practices.
The investigation was launched following a series of Board decisions adopted in 2024 and focused on determining whether leading poultry producers had violated Article 4 of Act No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition by exchanging competitively sensitive information.
During the course of the proceedings, five undertakings – Beypiliç, Bolez, Keskinoğlu, Lezita and Şenpiliç – applied for settlement. The Board accepted their settlement submissions, and since these companies admitted their involvement in the exchange of sensitive information, the investigation was terminated with respect to them under the settlement procedure. As a result, they received a 25 percent reduction in administrative fines, which still amounted to over one billion Turkish lira in total.
The investigation continued against the remaining undertakings, and in its decision of 18 September 2025, the Board concluded that Akpiliç, Aspiliç, Bakpiliç, Banvit, Bupiliç, Erpiliç, Gedik and Hastavuk had also infringed Article 4 of Act No. 4054. These companies were fined approximately 2.7 billion Turkish lira altogether, with Banvit, Erpiliç and Gedik among the highest sanctioned undertakings.
One company, CP Standart Gıda, was cleared of charges, as the Board found no evidence indicating an infringement of competition law in its conduct.
Beyond monetary penalties, the Board also introduced behavioral obligations under Article 9(1) of Act No. 4054. From now on, producers and suppliers in the white meat market will be required to apply their updated sales prices immediately upon announcement to their buyers, including resellers, and they will no longer be allowed to issue future price lists. The Authority underlined that these measures are designed to eliminate the advance sharing of sensitive price information and to safeguard effective competition.
In its statement, the Competition Authority emphasized that the combined effect of the fines and behavioral measures would fundamentally alter the prevailing commercial practices in the white meat sector, which constitutes one of Türkiye’s most important food industries. The outcome of this case marks one of the largest enforcement actions in recent years and underscores the Authority’s determination to deter anti-competitive practices while promoting consumer welfare.
