A new functionality has been introduced for consumers on www.ekalata.gov.ge, the information portal established on the initiative of the Government of Georgia. In addition to the 13 basic food products already available, prices for ten basic non-food products for everyday use have now been made accessible on the portal, thereby enabling consumers to compare prices and identify the best offers across a broader range of everyday consumer goods.

The non-food category comprises ten personal hygiene and household products, including toothpaste, liquid and bar hand soap, shampoo, dishwashing liquid, table napkins, and other basic consumer items.

As at 12:00 on 3 August, according to the data published on the portal, the lowest aggregate price for the thirteen basic food products stood at GEL 37.65, while the lowest aggregate price for the ten basic non-food products stood at GEL 38.16.

At present, the portal presents 477 best offers from thirteen major retail chains.

www.ekalata.gov.ge was established within the framework of the short-term strategy developed pursuant to the initiative of the Government of Georgia and the Parliament's Temporary Commission for the Study of Pricing Structures in the Food, Pharmaceutical, and Fuel Sectors. The platform is intended to consolidate, in a single space, information on the best available offers for basic food products, with a view to facilitating informed consumer choice and further strengthening the competitive environment in the FMCG sector.

The information portal was launched at the end of June of this year. Over the period since its launch, the lowest aggregate price for basic food products has decreased by 15 percent, and the portal has been used by thousands of consumers.

Information on the portal is updated regularly, on the basis of data provided by the retail chains.