The requirement for mandatory aggregation of water and soft drinks in Uzbekistan's digital marking system, which came into effect on April 1, has sparked widespread discontent among entrepreneurs. Following a meeting with the president, Business Ombudsman Abdumannop Buriyev announced that the implementation deadline would be postponed.
In an interview with Uzbekistan 24 TV channel, Buriyev stated that the president had ordered a review of issues affecting the business environment. The presentation raised 15 issues, one of which was the aggregation of labeled water and beverages.
“The marking system was introduced on April 1, 2026. This particularly affects water producers. When we analyzed the enterprises, it turned out that 5 out of 10 major producers, who control 90% of the market, are not ready for this process. When we informed the president, he proposed a postponement. This process has already been delayed twice: from April 2024 to 2026. 'Okay, we'll postpone it further; the system will be implemented when our entrepreneurs are ready,' the president said,” Buriyev reported.
He added that the presentation also discussed problems with signage and design code that worry entrepreneurs. “We conveyed the voice of entrepreneurs, and the president supported everything,” the business ombudsman stated.
Director of the Tax Committee's Methodology Department Aziz Umrzoqov said that two issues regarding digital marking were discussed at the meeting. “Given that the system, which allows tracking the movement of goods from producer to wholesaler and end consumer, is quite high-tech, it was decided to postpone the effective implementation of such tools to achieve the set goals,” he said.
According to the Tax Committee representative, the second issue that worried many entrepreneurs regarding marking—the amount of fines applied to them—was also discussed. “The president initiated their reduction. Sanctions for producers, wholesalers, and importers will be reduced, and for catering and trade enterprises, fines will be fixed amounts rather than based on income,” the Tax Committee representative reported.
The introduction of the digital marking system for beverages in Uzbekistan has sparked numerous debates and discussions. From April 1 this year, the mandatory aggregation requirement for beverages also came into force. While the system aims to gradually track product movement and reduce shadow turnover, market participants point to a number of problems in implementing the new order.
Source: kun.uz