Uzbekistan is considering introducing a digital system to monitor advertising promotions and discounts. The goal of this initiative is to allow consumers to independently verify the true extent of price reductions and the conditions stated in promotional offers.
The need for such measures arose after the Competition Committee discovered 65 instances of violations during the inspection of 116 promotions across 58 retail outlets. Among the recorded incidents were cases of failure to provide prizes worth 60 million soms, the return of a car following agency intervention, and the provision of discounts valid only when purchasing on an installment plan.
Examples of Violations Found
In the Andijan region, the company Water Life Mineral failed to provide promised prizes totaling 60 million soms to three participants of the 'Orzu ushalsin' promotion. The Committee initiated a case, recognized the violation of consumer rights, and issued a warning to the company.
In the Namangan region, the company 'Namangan Avtotekhkhizmat' canceled the winnings of a participant in a Chevrolet Cobalt draw and transferred the car to another person, citing an inability to contact the winner due to a phone number error. Following the committee's intervention, the car was returned to the rightful owner.
Violations were also found during sales events. At the Baldini store in Namangan, 50% discounts were advertised, but the corresponding price tags on the goods were missing. At the IDEA store in Bukhara, customers were offered discounts from 20% to 60%, but these discounts were applied not to the full price of the item, but only to monthly payments when purchasing on an installment plan.
In the Samarkand region, the company 'Samarkand Avtotekhkhizmat' promised to provide household appliances as a gift when purchasing a Chevrolet car. However, only clients who paid for the car in full immediately could receive this gift; clients who chose an installment plan, as well as legal entities, were excluded from participating in the promotion. The Committee established violations of advertising requirements, retail trade rules, and consumer protection legislation, issuing a mandatory directive to the company.
In the Kashkadarya region, questions arose regarding the advertising of IDEA promotions concerning smartphone sales on an installment plan. The advertising materials did not specify how many items participated in the promotion, what their minimum prices were over the last 30 days, or exactly which item the buyer could receive under the '1+1' offer.
Inspection Results and Control Plans
According to the committee, 90.7% of the 65 identified violations, which is 59 cases, were rectified after companies received clarifications and warnings. Cases were initiated against four enterprises. As a result of actions in favor of buyers, the amount of approximately 250 million soms was recalculated.
To strengthen supervision over compliance with established norms, the agency is developing proposals for integrating digital tools. It is planned that buyers will be able to use a QR code scanner located near the product to find out its original price and check the actual discount amount.
Furthermore, it is proposed to introduce a requirement for mandatory prior submission of promotion terms into a specialized electronic system and to maintain digital records of price changes. This will ensure the ability to compare advertising promises with real sales conditions and help identify situations where the declared discount does not match reality. Currently, these measures remain at the stage of proposal development.
