Inspection of Chinese Retailer Temu’s Office in Turkey

Turkey’s Competition Authority (RK) carried out a significant inspection of the Turkish offices of Chinese online retailer Temu in Istanbul on Wednesday morning. The reasons behind this operation remain somewhat unclear.

The atmosphere during the inspection seemed quite tense. Temu claimed that inspectors confiscated documents and computers, but RK disputed this, stating that the company’s assertion “does not reflect the truth.”

RK mentioned, “To ensure that the ongoing review proceeds properly, we are unable to share any further information at this stage.” This doesn’t necessarily indicate a formal investigation into Temu has begun, according to RK.

Media outlets have suggested that RK’s actions might be linked to similar concerns as those raised by the European Union during its raid on Temu’s Dublin office back in December. The EU regulatory body was reportedly looking into complaints regarding China’s use of state subsidies to unfairly lower Temu’s product prices. There exists a regulation, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), that aims to prevent foreign governments from utilizing aid to saturate domestic markets with underpriced goods, potentially damaging local industries.

Additionally, the EU had previously scrutinized Temu for allowing the sale of “illegal products,” including electronics and toys that did not comply with EU standards.

Temu and its major competitor, the Chinese company Shein, have been utilizing exemptions from small package regulations to offer inexpensive goods directly to consumers in Europe and the U.S. In July, an executive order was signed, increasing tariffs on small packages.

Turkey plans to introduce a new duty-free quota for shipments under $35, starting in early January, with expectations for the new rules to take effect next month. This could significantly affect companies like Temu and Shein, both of which are witnessing rapid growth in Turkey.

Concerns have been raised by Turkish employers and labor unions regarding the influx of affordable Chinese products that often do not meet the same standards as local offerings.

Interestingly, Temu established its Istanbul office in June 2025, following pressure from Turkey’s Ministry of Trade to have a physical presence. Step by step, Temu appears to be trying to integrate and collaborate with local manufacturers, enabling them to sell alongside Chinese products on its platform.