7 in 10 people in Turkey live with debt

Seven out of every 10 people in Turkey live with debt. Bekir Ağırdır, chair of the board of Veri Enstitüsü, said the economic crisis has pushed citizens into "survival" mode.

Ağırdır said 80 percent of society hunts for discounts out of a survival instinct. At least half of the public goes from store to store looking for the cheapest product and counting every kuruş.

Now citizens don't just look for the cheapest market, they look for where the cheapest bulgur is

Bekir Ağırdır

Borrowing for everyday expenses

According to Ağırdır, 70 percent of the country is in debt and 70 percent is open to borrowing again. Of this group, 38 percent are looking to borrow to pay off last month's debt and 32 percent to cover this month's current expenses. Ağırdır stressed that this is not to replace a sofa or a refrigerator.

Ağırdır also drew attention to the income gap. He said worries about the future limit spending, with people holding on to what they have because they expect worse. Noting that discount sales have become the main business of many stores, he said families knowingly go into debt even to avoid disappointing their children.