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Türkiye’s Trade Ministry unveiled new restrictions on Tuesday on imports of footwear, toys, and leather goods from Chinese e-commerce platforms after inspections revealed widespread violations of product safety standards.
The ministry said that products identified as high-risk can no longer enter Türkiye through postal or express cargo under a simplified customs declaration, with the regulation taking effect on Monday.
The decision is expected to hit Chinese online retailers Temu, AliExpress, and Shein, which also face similar probes in the European Union.
According to the ministry, inspections conducted by the Directorates General of Product Safety and Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance found that 148 of 182 examined items—equal to 81%—failed to meet safety criteria. Laboratory analyses detected toxic substances such as phthalates, lead, cadmium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in concentrations well above legal limits. These chemicals are known to pose health risks, including carcinogenic effects.
The ministry said the move aims to safeguard public health and ensure that consumers have access to safe products. It added that market surveillance and enforcement activities will continue "with determination."
The Turkish Trade Ministry’s move aligns with growing appeals from domestic producers distressed by China’s expanding presence in the Turkish market, which they accuse of supplying carcinogenic and unsafe products. In August, Türkiye Footwear Industry Association (TASD) Chairman Berke Icten said that laboratory tests conducted by the association found that up to 50% of Chinese shoes imported via Temu contained carcinogenic materials.
He added that the ministry had been informed of the results and urged to take action, noting that Temu’s annual shoe sales to Türkiye are now estimated at around $200 million.
Türkiye had earlier introduced a series of measures to curb the dominance of Chinese online platforms in the country’s retail market, particularly in relation to customs duties. Most notably, the customs-free threshold was lowered from €150 ($174.39) to €30 in August 2024, covering the total value of the order, including cargo and shipping fees.
In a separate development, the Trade Ministry also launched Tuesday an anti-dumping investigation into imports of synthetic or artificial staple fiber fabrics from the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Egypt, valued at $101 million. The ministry determined that previous anti-dumping measures applied to Chinese-origin products were being circumvented through shipments from these three countries, according to a communiqué published in the Official Gazette.
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