Retail sales in Turkey declined in November compared to October despite month long discount campaigns, according to the United Brands Association (BMD).
BMD Chairman Sinan Öncel said card spending across clothing, footwear, health, cosmetics and food fell from TRY 410 billion in October to TRY 333 billion in November, while the number of transactions dropped from 452.6 million to 363 million.
Öncel noted that November became one of the three weakest months of 2025 in terms of transaction volume for apparel and footwear, with similar trends seen in cosmetics and food. He said the data shows consumers are increasingly cutting back on non-essential spending despite deep discounts.
High rent hikes were cited as the sector’s biggest challenge, followed by declining tourist shopping and rising labor costs. Öncel warned that elevated costs will remain a major issue for branded retailers in 2026 unless regulatory changes are introduced to curb excessive rent increases and reduce operational burdens.
