Participation in the government's discounted grocery platform eKalata.gov.ge is currently voluntary for retailers, according to Retail Association head Sopho Kashakashvili. Speaking to BMGTV, she said retailers joined the initiative on their own, and businesses are only legally required to submit price information if formally requested in writing by the Competition Agency.
Kashakashvili noted that not all major supermarket chains have joined the platform, which she said demonstrates that participation is not mandatory. She added that the platform has already increased competition, prompting member retailers to revise their offers and provide more attractive discounts to consumers.
She also said the association was unaware of similar private price-comparison platforms before ekalata.gov.ge was launched. According to Kashakashvili, the government's platform stands out because it provides reliable data and analytical tools for both businesses and public institutions, while the Competition Agency monitors whether published prices match those in stores.
Kashakashvili stressed that penalties for providing inaccurate pricing information are not new and have been part of existing legislation since 2022. She added that neither her association's members nor, to her knowledge, other supermarket chains have been instructed by any state agency to join the platform.
