Alcohol beverage law in Georgia is frequently misunderstood: many entrepreneurs search for an "alcohol license" that, as a distinct licensing category within this regulatory sphere, no longer exists. Under the current system, an alcoholic beverage is treated directly as food, and its production and sale fall under the general food safety regime — registration as a business operator, approval where required, labeling requirements, and state control. On this page we explain how the regime works and what producers, importers, and sellers must observe.
Alcoholic beverages as food
The food safety code applies to the production, processing, and distribution of food on the territory of Georgia — and alcoholic beverages are not carved out of that definition. This means that an alcoholic beverage placed on the market must satisfy food safety requirements, and placing harmful products on the market is prohibited. Food is harmful if it endangers human life or health or is unfit for consumption. Safety assessment takes into account compliance of production and processing with statutory requirements, information provided to the consumer including the label, effects not only on the consumer but also on subsequent generations, possible toxic cumulative effects, and risks connected with special categories of consumers for whom the product is intended.
Where food is harmful, the entire batch is deemed harmful unless a detailed inspection confirms that the remainder satisfies the requirements — and the business operator reimburses the costs of that inspection. Even formal compliance does not preclude the agency from restricting or banning market placement or withdrawing the product where a justified suspicion of unsafety exists.