Uzbekistan is set to ease penalties for businesses that violate digital labeling regulations, following a presidential decree aimed at implementing outcomes from the sixth dialogue with business leaders.
According to the decree, a draft bill will be developed by November 2026 to soften enforcement. The proposed legislation will replace variable penalties for retail and catering businesses with fixed fine amounts and introduce a formal warning mechanism for first-time offenses. The Cabinet of Ministers, the Tax Committee, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been tasked with drafting the reforms.
Under current regulations, businesses face a fine equivalent to 2% of their net revenue from the last fiscal quarter for digital labeling violations. This penalty skyrockets to 20% if the same offense is repeated within a year.
The decree also simplifies compliance for the hospitality and food service sectors. For hotels and catering businesses purchasing bottled water, soft drinks, beer, and tobacco products, the digital tracking codes will automatically be registered as "sold to the final consumer" upon delivery to the establishment, removing further tracking burdens.
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