Georgian Competition and Consumer Protection Agency: consumer complaints increased by 65% in 2025

The head of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Protection Agency (GCCA), Irakli Lekvinadze, on Sunday said consumer complaints submitted to the agency increased by 65 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, indicating growing public awareness of consumer rights.

Lekvinadze made the statement during an event held in the country’s Black Sea resort city of Batumi as part of the 4th International Consumer Protection Week.

He said the number of applications submitted to the GCCA in the first two months of 2026 also rose, showing a 92 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025.

“Protecting consumer rights is one of the main directions of the Competition and Consumer Protection Agency. The growth in the number of complaints indicates an increase in consumer awareness regarding their rights,” Lekvinadze said.

During his speech, he also highlighted the key standards and guideline documents developed by the agency, as well as the progress achieved in recent years in terms of international recognition.

Lekvinadze added 90 peer cent of the cases reviewed by the agency are resolved in favour of consumers and in 2025 consumers were compensated with more than ₾1 million ($366,000) in total.

He also noted that Georgia will chair the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) in 2026–2027, which he described as significant recognition of the country’s institutional development and international cooperation in the field of consumer protection.

Lekvinadze added that the GCCA also received the 2025 Consumer Education Award, established by ICPEN and the World Bank.

“This award confirms that informing and educating consumers is one of the key priorities of our work,” he said.

During the event, participants reviewed standards and enforcement mechanisms implemented in the field of consumer rights protection.

The final event of the 4th International Consumer Protection Week will take place tomorrow in Tskaltubo, in the country’s western Imereti region.