Price trends in Georgia: how government transparency is suddenly pushing supermarket prices down
Georgia has seen noticeable price increases for months – yet since late June, of all things a simple government price-comparison portal has been creating real downward price pressure in food retail. What is behind the turnaround, and why the fuel pump tells the opposite story.
Key takeaways:
- Annual inflation in June 2026: 5.8%, food at times up to 7.5% (April)
- Our Khachapuri Index: −3.4% from the July high to the monthly low
- New price portal ekalata.gov.ge: minimum basket price down 15% since launch, according to the competition authority
- The counterpoint: petrol +2%, LPG +6% – where no transparency portal exists
Our Khachapuri Index: down 3.4% from the July high
Since 8 July we have been tracking the ingredient prices of a classic Khachapuri Adjaruli across the country’s major supermarket chains every day – our in-house shopping-basket index for Batumi. You can find the daily curve on our Khachapuri Index page. The result of the first month:
| Date | Index (GEL) |
|---|---|
| 08 Jul 2026 | 11.01 |
| 11 Jul 2026 (high) | 11.17 |
| 31 Jul 2026 (low) | 10.79 |
| 07 Aug 2026 (current) | 10.96 |
From the July high to the monthly low at the end of July, the index fell by 3.4% – right in the middle of a period in which official food inflation remains positive. Since early August it has settled just below 11 GEL.
The reason: ekalata.gov.ge – price comparison as a government project
In late June 2026, Georgia’s Competition and Consumer Agency (GCCA) launched the portal ekalata.gov.ge. It aggregates the prices of what are now 13 major supermarket chains – from Carrefour and Nikora to Agrohub – for 13 staple foods of the standard shopping basket.
Since early August, 10 personal care and household products have been added, for a total of 477 best-price offers. The portal was developed following recommendations of the parliamentary fact-finding commission on food, medicine and fuel pricing – at a cost of just 53,000 GEL.
The impact is remarkable: according to the competition authority, the minimum total price of the basic basket has fallen by 15% since the portal’s launch. Our own khachapuri data independently confirms the trend.
Once every chain knows its prices are published daily next to its competitors’, the most expensive seller becomes visible – and falls in line. Classic competitive pressure, triggered not by regulation but by transparency.
The counter-evidence at the pump: fuel is getting more expensive
How strong the transparency effect is becomes clear where no comparable portal exists (yet): at the petrol station. SOCAR prices (Tbilisi) rose over the same period:
| Fuel | 19 Jul 2026 | 07 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Super (Nano Super) | 4.04 GEL/l | 4.12 GEL/l |
| Premium 95 | 3.65 GEL/l | 3.73 GEL/l |
| Regular 92 | 3.51 GEL/l | 3.59 GEL/l |
| Diesel (Euro 5) | 3.95 GEL/l | 3.95 GEL/l |
| LPG (autogas) | 1.93 GEL/l | 2.05 GEL/l |
Petrol became about 2% more expensive overnight at the end of July, LPG even 6%. Food down, fuel up – in the same country, in the same month. The difference: in food retail, every consumer (and every competitor) now checks a state-run price board daily. At the pump, nobody does.
What does this mean for expats and investors?
1. Living costs remain low
Basic groceries in Georgia remain cheap by European standards – a complete khachapuri basket costs under 11 GEL (~€3.70). The new price competition should further dampen food inflation.
2. Price-conscious shopping now pays off measurably
The spread between the most expensive and the cheapest chain for the identical product is substantial – ekalata.gov.ge (in Georgian, but self-explanatory) shows it in black and white.
3. Factor in mobility costs
If you depend on a car, budget for further rising fuel costs. LPG remains by far the cheapest option at ~2 GEL/l – even after the latest increase.
Conclusion
At a time of real price increases, the government has shown that a 53,000-GEL portal can create more price pressure than many a debate about market intervention. We will keep monitoring with the daily Khachapuri Index and will report as soon as the trend turns.
