The Ministry of Commerce announces with an official statement that theses that have been published in some media in recent days and have had a great impact, such as “an administrative fine of 863 million TL was imposed on a Japanese car company”, do not reflect the truth.

As a result of the investigations carried out by the Advertising Board operating within the Ministry, it is confirmed that a penalty was imposed on the relevant brand due to deceptive statements in the technical equipment information, but the amount of this penalty is recorded as 863 thousand 580 TL, contrary to what is claimed in social media and the press. The Ministry also shares a detailed information text about penalty limits and legal legislation in order to prevent unfounded news.

• Allegations in the press that a Japanese automotive giant was fined 863 million TL are denied by the Ministry of Commerce.

• The fine is imposed as 863 thousand 580 TL by the Advertising Board due to deceptive technical equipment information in vehicle promotion.

• The Ministry of Commerce states that, according to the legislation, the maximum penalty that can be imposed on television advertisements for 2026 is approximately 31.8 million TL.

Behind the Allegations and the Advertising Committee’s Decision

The claim, which has a wide repercussion in the automotive industry, begins with the determination that the technical information presented to consumers during the promotional activities of a vehicle model does not reflect the truth.

The Advertising Board will discuss this situation at its ordinary meeting dated April 9, 2026. As a result of the investigations, legal proceedings are being initiated against the company, which has been determined to follow a deceptive advertising policy against the consumer, in the category of posters and outdoor advertisements.

As a result of the legal process, the company was fined exactly 863 thousand 580 TL, much less than the astronomical figure claimed. In addition to the criminal process, the Council also imposes the sanction of stopping the broadcast of advertisements containing deceptive elements.

It is becoming clear that the news of millions of lira fines spreading rapidly on social media is due to a complete slippage or misinformation.

What are the Advertising Penalty Upper Limits for 2026?

The Ministry of Commerce also transparently explains the penalties that the Advertising Committee can impose in order to inform the public correctly. In accordance with legal regulations, administrative fines applied vary depending on the medium in which the advertisement is published. The new upper limits set for 2026 reveal that the alleged penalty of 863 million TL is not legally possible.

According to the information shared by the Ministry, the highest penalty rate is applied to the television channel. Companies that do not comply with the rules in television advertisements can be fined 31 million 808 thousand 530 TL as a maximum limit for 2026.

While this limit has been determined as 8 million 635 thousand 800 TL in internet advertisements, where controls have become more frequent in recent years; The upper limit for posters, outdoor advertisements, billboards and similar physical media is 863 thousand 580 TL.

If the Stop Order is Not Compliant, Penalties Multiply

The Ministry points out that if companies do not remove advertisements subject to penalties, the sanctions will even become more severe. The fines in question can be multiplied and re-applied to brands that do not comply with the suspension decision given by the Advertising Board and continue to make negative promotions.

This situation is of great importance in terms of protecting consumer rights and maintaining a fair competitive environment in the market. The Ministry of Commerce emphasizes that it will continue its controls on exorbitant prices, unfair commercial practices and deceptive advertisements.