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Consumers’ Rights in Georgia

March 17, 2008

Eka Kevanishvili, Tbilisi.

“It is new, don’t worry”, - if a salesperson characterizes the sausage of vague origin that is being sold in unhygienic  conditions in a Tbilisi bazaar, do not believe him and do not buy it. The union 21st Century responded to the consumer’s rights day on the 15th of March with the publication of a research on consumers’ rights in Georgia.

You will be amazed with the situation in Tbilisi bazaars. Let us take Samgori Bazaar for example: meat, liver and other meat products are sold from off the shelf and candies and dried bread products are sold on another one, and under the meat. The blood from the meat leaks and drips on cardboards where there are candy products. Nobody remembers conformity certificate or a Georgian label or seal of quality. Such violations occur not only in Bazaars but also in some of the more upscale shops.

The Union the 21st Century had been studying the situation with food products on Georgian market for one year. The organization monitored food sales, conditions of its sale, food validity dates and if there existed labels that demonstrated conformity certificates and food safety standards. The union bought various imported products and tested them (27 laboratory test in total).

After introducing amendments to Georgian Law on Products and Service, “obligatory certification is possible if when it is specifically demanded under the law”. After two years of introduction of amendments under Georgian legislation, only wine certification for the quality of wine is required. Certification of other products is optional. According to Paragraph One of Article 9 of Georgian Law on Products and Service “the product manufacturer is liable to make up and sign the declaration testifying that his product meets industry standards and products norms.

Paata Gachechiladze, the head of the “Century XX1”, pointed out that during the nine-month-monitoring they could detect neither any corresponding certificate nor corresponding declaration in this respect.

Out of four not exceeding expiry dates and realization time-limits, this is the result of an increased number of markets and retail outlets.

“According to the realization conditions, shops mostly satisfy corresponding norms that we cannot claim about agricultural markets. Conditions are unsanitary at the markets, especially in terms of storage for meat, meat products, dairy products and fish. They are practically non0existent in many instances.  The products are sold without refrigeration and this violates all standards of food safety for the range of temperatures required for safe keeping of meat and the level of humidity. Unwrapped products are placed next to washing detergents or other chemical substances. Pastry and bakery cooks, that must not be sold together, are sold out in the open, dusty areas. There are a wide range of products that are sold unprotected and this can cause a public health crisis. Packing of most food products do not indicate date of expiry and it is impossible to find out it either. While realization the scales are not checked,” stated the report of the organization.

The Georgian Law on “Customer’s Rights Protection” - Article 6, stipulates that “the producer (salesperson) shall provide the customer with necessary, valid and complete information about the production”; and ‘the information shall be provided in Georgian language.” These demands of the law are being completely ignored both agricultural markets and in retail shops. It is noteworthy that since 2004 the number of products without Georgian labels has doubled on the market. Consequently, one of fundamental human rights has been violated. Every person shall have the information about the risk s/he runs while consuming food products/”  

According to the validity of the product imported food is more reliable than local production. Generally, in comparison to 2004 the situation with imported food has also worsened.

Paata Gachechiladze said that there is urgent situation regarding human rights in the country. Georgian market is full of low-quality food that is dangerous to your health. It can even be fatal. The government does not control the security of production or service that that completely neglects the constitutional rights of its citizens.

“In 2004 the government started the reform in the system and today all institutions that were in charge to control the situation, were canceled. While acting so, the argument for the government was ranging corruption in those institutions that were leftovers of the communist regime. However, such organizations should have been replaced with new ones.  Now the country has no system in place to assure the safety of the food supply. All corresponding structures have been deprived from the right to inspect food products in the country, and the situation will last until 2010,” said Gachechiladze.

 

 

 

 

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