The Turkish Competition Authority has officially concluded its antitrust investigation into Coca-Cola Satış ve Dağıtım AŞ (CCSD) after accepting a comprehensive package of structural and behavioral commitments from the beverage giant. The investigation, centered on potential violations of Articles 4 and 6 of Act No. 4054, addressed concerns that CCSD was excluding market rivals through aggressive exclusivity clauses and restrictive discount structures.
A central pillar of the approved commitments is the substantial expansion of cooler access rules. CCSD must now allocate exactly 35% of the capacity in its corporate-owned coolers to competing products across both traditional retail and on-premise consumption channels. This rule applies on a per-cooler basis, and the presence of an outlet’s own beverage cooler cannot bypass this sharing requirement. The designated space must be physically separated using a vertical separator, and each shelf within that zone must feature clear labels stating it is reserved for competitors. Furthermore, CCSD is forbidden from monitoring which specific rival products are placed in these spaces, and it cannot obstruct their visibility with labels or coverings. Non-compliant retail outlets will face an escalating penalty system, starting with a warning and progressing to a gradual 10% reduction in order volumes for subsequent violations. Independent third-party measurement reports will monitor the real-world impact of these rules.
Beyond refrigeration space, the settlement heavily restructures CCSD’s commercial relationships. The company has eliminated its minimum annual parcel purchase volume requirement for supplying coolers, alongside ending dealer penalties. Sales performance incentives have been overhauled; premium practices for Area Sales Managers are terminated, while Field Sales Managers and Sales Representatives will see their base salary rate increased to 80%, capping variable performance pay at 20%.
Finally, investment supports like awnings and signboards must now be granted based on objective criteria, completely independent of product purchase agreements. On the pricing front, dealer discounts must be calculated independently by product category, prohibiting cross-category tying. Free product incentives for water and mineral water are abolished entirely, and free product supports in remaining categories will be restricted solely to high-volume outlets. The Competition Authority will formally review these commitments after three years.
