The Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency (GCCA) has determined a violation of the Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights by “Hualing-Building Materials Hypermarket” LLC. The case involves the trader’s announcement of a 90% discount for a one-week period to mark an anniversary. This promotional information was disseminated via Mihouse’s Facebook page and television broadcasts.
According to the Agency's findings, during the discount period, a consumer contacted the company’s operator to confirm the price and availability of certain products in the warehouse. Subsequently, the consumer purchased four heating boilers through the website www.mihouse.ge. However, the company later refused to fulfill the order, citing a technical error on the website that had displayed incorrect product prices. The trader argued that the prices shown online should not have been considered valid and, therefore, no binding agreement was established.
According to the legislation, it is deemed unfair and prohibited for a trader to advertise goods or services at a special price and subsequently refuse to display the advertised goods, accept the order, or deliver them within a reasonable time. The trader is obligated to fulfill the consumer's request.
The GCCA determined that the trader’s actions, regardless of intent, constituted a fundamentally unfair commercial practice. The misleading nature of these actions undermines consumer trust and compromises market integrity.
Following a thorough examination of the case, the GCCA concluded that the trader had engaged in unfair commercial activity as defined by law. Consequently, the trader was instructed to restore the violated consumer rights within one month and to align its trade policies with the requirements of the relevant legal provisions.
