Consumer complaints to Georgia’s Competition and Consumer Agency rose by 102% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2026, while fines for consumer rights violations reached GEL 300,000, agency head Irakli Lekvinadze told a parliamentary committee.
Around 90% of cases are resolved in consumers’ favor, with the agency’s involvement helping customers recover an estimated GEL 1 million to GEL 1.2 million through refunds and contract cancellations. Lekvinadze said fines increased from approximately GEL 135,000 last year, partly due to penalties imposed on several large companies.
The agency has also introduced standards requiring full refunds when cultural or sporting events are canceled for reasons beyond consumers’ control. It has addressed potentially misleading promotions by aesthetic centers and is pushing online retailers to provide accurate information about product availability.
Lekvinadze attributed the rise in complaints partly to greater public awareness of consumer rights and the agency’s outreach efforts across the country.
