Surge in Consumer Protection Issues Documented by GCCA in the Year 2025
In 2025, the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency (GCCA) witnessed a substantial 47% surge in consumer protection activity compared to the previous year. This increase in activity was mirrored by a rise in the number of complaints received, with the majority originating from the capital city, Tbilisi, accounting for 79% of the total.
Tbilisi was followed by Imereti (4%), Kakheti (3%), Adjara (5%), and Kvemo Kartli (2%) as the top sources of complaints. The data suggests that online trading is the primary source of disputes, making up 67% of the applications received by the GCCA. In-store purchases account for 33% of the disputes handled.
The most common consumer demands involved refunds (286 cases), repair of defective goods (262), restoration of rights to services (138), timely delivery of items (57), prohibition of misleading information (28), and unconditional product returns (20). To restore consumer rights, the agency facilitated 106 commitment agreements in 115 cases, requiring traders to adjust internal business practices and compensate affected customers.
Enforcement actions were also taken against non-compliant traders. Fifty businesses were fined across 89 cases, with total penalties reaching GEL 104,742. However, as of now, there is no publicly available information about companies being fined by the GCCA for consumer rights violations in 2025.
Sector-wise, the wholesale and retail trade leads with 74% of cases, followed by transport and warehousing (10%) and other sectors (16%). The GCCA also reviewed 147 cases of consumer group rights violations, identifying 98 breaches.
In the first eight months of 2025, the GCCA received 838 applications and handled 2,570 hotline calls. The agency continues to strive towards ensuring consumer protection and maintaining a fair market environment in Georgia.
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