The Communications Commission held the conference "Challenges of the Television Advertising Market - Product Placement" to address the illegal expansion of product placement on Georgian television. The event was opened by Ivane Makharadze, a ComCom member, Irakli Lekvinadze, Chairman of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency, and Jean-François Furnémont, a European Union media expert.
"We have legislation that meets European requirements in terms of competition and consumer rights. It is at a very high level, and we have close cooperation with the Communications Commission. We have several platforms where we share local and international experiences in this area, discuss challenges, and explore joint opportunities. Since 2020, after the legislation was improved, the Commission has reviewed and confirmed one case of concerted practice, in which we were actively involved.
During today's meeting, the topic of discussion is the challenges faced in the television advertising market. The focus is on establishing fair rules for product placement, which is highly relevant to the Georgian media space and important for protecting the interests of consumers,”- said Irakli Lekvinadze, the chairman of the GCCA in his speech.
During the event, a presentation was held to share research results on product placement practices in 15 different countries. The analysis revealed that all European countries have strict laws and regulations concerning product placement violations. The conference also hosted two panel discussions: "Impact of Product Placement on Consumers and the Advertising Market" and "International Product Placement Practices and Approaches". The event was attended by representatives of regulatory commissions from Great Britain and Lithuania, the European Union delegation, the U.S. Embassy, TV broadcasters, sales houses, and non-governmental organizations.
