Turkey Fines Global Shoe Brand After Pig Leather Found in Products

Turkey’s Ministry of Trade has fined the global shoe company New Balance and a few other brands after discovering they used pig leather in some of their products without properly disclosing it.

According to the Turkish Advertising Board, companies like Vans, Camper, and New Balance got hit with fines for not mentioning the use of pigskin in their product info.

Reportedly, New Balance was fined around $46,000, while Vans got a $23,000 fine. Camper was told to stop advertising altogether, according to Turkish broadcaster TRT.

The action came after routine inspections revealed that some shoes contained animal-derived materials that are either banned or considered religiously sensitive in Turkey. Authorities said this goes against transparency rules, especially when these products are also exported abroad.

The Ministry said the companies were penalized for not clearly stating all ingredients—especially those from animal sources. They emphasized that “consumers have the right to know exactly what they’re buying, especially when it involves religious or health concerns.”