Food City Tashkent Drops Increased Ice Fee After Probe

Food City Tashkent Reverses Increased Ice Fee After Investigation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Food City Tashkent, which runs the wholesale fruit and vegetable market, has rescinded a raised fee for bringing ice onto its premises following the intervention of the Committee for Competition Development and Consumer Protection.

As reported by the agency's press service, the investigation was initiated after a complaint from an entrepreneur selling ice at the market. The business owner claimed that the management of Food City Tashkent was imposing artificial obstacles to his operations.

Specifically, the fee for bringing in both packaged and unpackaged ice had been raised significantly, reaching 737,000 soums per day. The entrepreneur argued that these measures effectively aimed to push him out of the market.

In response to the complaint, the Competition Development Committee reached out to the market administration and assessed the situation.

After the assessment, an agreement was made between the Food City Tashkent administration and the entrepreneur, leading to the cancellation of the unjustifiably increased fee.

The committee noted that, according to the law, a business's ability to unilaterally set transaction terms, sales areas, or pricing can be seen as an exercise of superior bargaining power, even if the company does not dominate the market.

The agency also highlighted that the misuse of superior bargaining power could result in financial penalties under the Law on Competition.