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The Turkish Competition Authority announced Tuesday that it launched a formal investigation into U.K.-based consumer goods firm Unilever and two of its associated distributors over alleged resale price maintenance practices that may breach national competition law.
The investigation targets Unilever's Türkiye subsidiary, along with local partners Ilke Gida and Basak Pazarlama, following suspicions that the companies may have coordinated to fix resale prices.
According to the statement, the inquiry began with a decision on May 15, 2025, when Türkiye’s Competition Board launched a preliminary review into whether Unilever Türkiye may have collaborated with certain resellers in ways that could distort market competition.
The review examined whether the company and its partners had acted jointly to influence how products were priced across the supply chain. Based on its initial assessment, the board determined that there were sufficient indications of potential violations to warrant a full investigation.
The investigation will be conducted under Article 4 of Türkiye’s competition law, which prohibits any agreements or practices between companies that could directly or indirectly limit competition. This includes actions such as setting fixed resale prices, dividing markets, or restricting output.
While launching an investigation signals that the board sees reason for concern, it does not mean that any of the companies involved have been found guilty. The process will now move into a detailed phase of evidence gathering and legal evaluation.
Authorities will focus on whether Unilever Türkiye and its distributors attempted to enforce resale price levels in a way that could reduce market competition. Should violations be confirmed, the companies may face monetary fines or other regulatory sanctions.
The board has not announced a specific timeline for when the investigation will conclude.
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