Georgian supermarket chains consolidating could help lower prices for consumers, Retail Association head and Goodwill CEO Giorgi Khabashvili said, as the FMCG sector focuses on efficiency amid rising operating costs and a maturing market.
Khabashvili said larger chains gain stronger purchasing power, allowing them to negotiate better prices with both international suppliers and local producers and offer more competitive prices to customers.
He dismissed concerns that consolidation would leave the market with a single dominant player, citing legal restrictions and arguing that even three or four major chains would continue competing intensely for customers.
With retailers facing higher rent, logistics costs and labor shortages, Khabashvili said expanding operations and increasing purchasing scale could help businesses remain sustainable while keeping prices affordable.
