To promote price transparency in business-consumer relations, ensure the proper functioning of markets, prevent unfair commercial practices, and empower consumers to make informed decisions, the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency (GCCA) has developed a guideline on the indication of prices for goods and services.
Price is a critical factor influencing consumer decisions when purchasing goods or services. Therefore, to foster fair and transparent trading practices, the guideline outlines the following key principles:
- Unit Price Standard: For goods that are not pre-packaged and are weighed or measured in front of the consumer, the price per unit (e.g. per kilogram, liter, meter, or square meter) must be clearly indicated.
- Discount and Special Offer Standard: When announcing a discount, traders are required to display three different prices for goods and services: the original price (pre-discount), the discounted price, and the lowest price assigned to the product or service within the last 30 days. (This regulation does not apply to perishable goods, products with a short shelf life, or medicines.)
- Price Indication in Advertising: If a trader advertises a specific good or service for sale, they must include the price along with other essential information in the advertisement.
- Price Indication on Food Menus: In bars and restaurants, menus must display the final price of food and drinks, including value-added tax (VAT) and other costs, such as service charges. It is illegal to state at the bottom of the menu that prices exclude "VAT" or service charges.
Experts from the EU-funded TWINNING project, along with other stakeholders, contributed to the development of the guideline. The document is grounded in the Georgian Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and aligned with EU best practices.
