Parliamentary commission ‘seeks institutional reform’ to boost transparency, lower prices in food, medicine, fuel markets

The temporary parliamentary commission studying the pricing structures of food products, medicines, and fuel is aiming to create an institutional framework to address three key problems identified in the sector, commission chairman Shota Berekashvili claimed on Thursday. 

“First, there is a lack of adequate transparency in the sector, which is a significant problem. This leads to the second issue: businesses cannot plan for the long term and lack proper predictability, which in turn generates additional costs. These challenges are compounded by lengthy payment periods, further increasing financial burdens,” Berekashvili explained.

He added that the commission’s objective was to establish a framework where relationships were transparent and predictable, and competition was healthy, ultimately leading to lower prices for consumers.

“Currently, the supply chain suffers from asymmetric relationships-unbalanced and unhealthy interactions that create distorted competition. Some companies hold privileged positions, capturing large market shares and generating excessive profits due to the lack of competition. At the same time, other companies face additional costs, which increases overall production costs,” Berekashvili said.

“Our goal is to establish an institutional framework that ensures transparency, predictability, and healthy competition. Achieving these three conditions will allow for meaningful market corrections, ultimately reducing prices and enabling consumers to receive the best value,” he added.