Wissol’s CEO, Vasil Khorava, says the main potential for reducing fuel prices lies in expanding self-service gas stations. Speaking at the Parliamentary Price Commission, he noted that current fuel sales generate little to no profit, with any gains coming from older inventory.
According to Khorava, companies are competing “over a single tetri” to keep prices low, but operational costs set a limit. He explained that salaries, insurance, meals, and uniforms for pump operators create significant expenses, while self-service stations could save companies 8–10 tetri per liter.
Khorava believes that as wages rise nationally, fewer people will want to work as pump operators for GEL 1,000 – GEL 1,500 a month, naturally encouraging wider adoption of self-service models — similar to practices in many European countries.
Currently, about 10% of Wissol stations are self-service, and the company plans to increase that share starting next year. Khorava emphasized that all other cost-cutting options have already been exhausted and that efficiency is driven by intense competition in the sector.
