Turkish retailers heed gov't appeals to freeze prices amid high inflation

STORY: Turkish retailers heed gov't appeals to freeze prices amid high inflation DATELINE: Jan. 26, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:40 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people on the streets at cashpoints and supermarkets in Türkiye 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): SEMRA TOPRAK, Pensioner 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): SAHIN DURAK, Self-employed person STORYLINE: Responding to the appeals by the government, major retailers in Türkiye have launched an initiative to freeze prices and even offer discounts on many daily essential goods despite the country's steep inflation rate. A fresh wave of price increases swiped the country after the Turkish government announced a 55-percent increase in the minimum wage for 2023 in December 2022. This prompted Nureddin Nebati, minister of Treasury and Finance, to warn shops against "unfair pricing." Supermarket chains, such as Migros and discount retailers Sok, BIM and A101, announced at the start of the year that they will freeze the price of thousands of daily goods f