Lasha Papashvili, Vice President of the Georgian Business Association, expressed concern over the government’s plan to ban beverages in plastic bottles, warning that the move could lead to higher prices for consumers. While he personally tries to favor glass bottles in his business, he noted that the unprecedented ban could affect the market.
“I don’t deal directly with this in my operations, but as I understand, the focus is only on mineral and regular water under 1 liter. Personally, I try to use glass whenever possible, which I think is good. But whether this can be implemented successfully… there will of course be an impact on prices,” Papashvili said.
He added that while some countries allow biodegradable or easily recyclable PET alternatives, such a full ban is unprecedented globally. “We are experimenting, and as a small country we are taking a risk. I want the product to be healthy, but I’m worried that prices will jump,” he noted.
Starting February 1, 2027, Georgia will prohibit the sale of carbonated drinks, soft drinks, alcohol, and fresh water in plastic bottles smaller than 3 liters for water and 20 liters for soft drinks. Exceptions include larger water and beverage containers. If implemented, Georgia would become the first country in the world to fully ban PET plastic bottles, prompting concerns from major beverage producers, including PepsiCo Georgia, Healthy Water, Natakhtari, and Coca-Cola Bottlers Georgia.
