Uzbekistan

Direct selling re-emerged during the review period, following many years of absence from Uzbekistan. Following poor performances, most companies had exited this channel prior to the review period in 2012, due to tightening restrictions, including…

Although modern trade formats continue to increase their value share in 2022, bazaars are still the dominant grocery retailing channel due in part to the fact that bazaars have a well-established place in Uzbekistani culture, with consumers being…

Bazaars remain a favourite shopping channel for non-grocery products. Low-income shoppers, tourists, and anyone looking for a wide variety of items that they can negotiate prices on all frequently turn to bazaars. The abundance of products and the…

In 2022, retail e-commerce continued to gain significant value share in Uzbekistan. However, its penetration level still lagged behind neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan. Several factors hindered the further development of retail e-commerce in…

Despite the deleterious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uzbekistan recorded positive annual real GDP growth of 1.9% in 2020. With the reopening of the economy, as well as higher state investment and a recovery in remittance inflows that bolstered…

Rising inflation has been denting households’ purchasing power and consumer spending in 2023. Nevertheless, despite certain shifts in consumer behaviour, willingness to spend on chocolate confectionery is still rising in 2023, and retail volume sales…

After seeing a retail volume decline in 2020 during the first year of the pandemic, gum returned to growth, and this is set to continue in 2023 as impulse consumption occasions continue to return. Although volume sales are set to rise, current value…

With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the return to everyday routines, ice cream returned to growth, and 2023 is set to see an even stronger retail volume increase than 2022, and maintain double-digit current value growth. With hot summers,…

While in 2020 and 2021, savoury snacks were considered as a treat for consumers to fight the boredom of home seclusion during the pandemic, in 2022 and 2023, in the post-COVID-19 period, people have been returning to their previous routines, and…

Snacks is expected to see another successful year in 2023, remaining resilient despite a turbulent period due to impacts from the war in Ukraine and inflationary pressures. As a result of the removal of pandemic restrictions in 2022, and a return to…

In 2023, sugar confectionery is set to see strong performances in both retail volume and current value terms in Uzbekistan. After sales stagnated in 2020, and rebounded in 2021, there was slow expansion in 2022, and even stronger growth is expected…

In 2022, and continuing into 2023, inflation was fuelled by increases in the costs of food and energy, particularly exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, although consumers have still been open to purchasing indulgence products,…

Baby food is expected to register both healthy current value and volume growth, with a rising birth rate supporting volume sales. While inflation is still high, it is easing. In addition, the increasing numbers of women in the workforce is also…

Volume growth is expected to be muted for butter in 2023. With inflation still high, though easing, consumers are expected to be price sensitive and as a result opt for more affordable margarine and spreads rather than butter. The situation is…

Cheese is expected to be one of the weaker dairy performers in 2023, with more muted volume growth. Hard cheese in particular performs badly and is expected to register a fall in volume sales, with soft, more affordable soft cheese continuing to…

Despite the continuing fallout from the war in Ukraine, which has led to high inflation and economic uncertainty, dairy and alternatives are expected to register healthy current value and volume growth in 2023. Uzbekistan is a country that has…

Drinking milk is expected to register both healthy current value and volume growth, with a growing population supporting volume sales. While inflation is still high, it is easing. Shelf stable continues to account for most volumes sales through…

Other dairy is a sizeable product area in Uzbekistan, with fromage frais in particular regarded as a staple in Uzbeki cuisine. There is a long tradition of plain fromage frais and quark (tvorog) consumption in Uzbekistan, with both products being…

Yoghurt and sour milk products is Uzbekistan’s most popular dairy product, in particular sour milk products, and in 2023 it is also expected to be the best performing dairy product, with very healthy current value and volume growth. Traditional…

Analgesics in Uzbekistan is still developing with growth opportunities in several subcategories. Current value sales remained in double-digits in 2023 continuing the trend seen throughout the review period. Analgesics tend to be purchased in…

Consumer health in 2023 is exhibiting solid current value growth as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic diminishes. With the resurgence of seasonal ailments, categories such as cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies and analgesics are…

Cough, cold and allergy remedies face favourable growth in 2023, with the category boosted by the return to normal social lifestyles post-pandemic. The regular circulation of seasonal cold viruses is fuelling demand, which had previously fallen due…

Retail sales of dermatologicals showed moderate growth in current value terms in 2023, with inflationary pressures less severe but still a factor. The dermatological category in Uzbekistan is an area lacking in development, largely due to the limited…

During the pandemic, the popularity of dietary supplements skyrocketed as people sought preventative strategies to boost their immune health and minimise the impact of COVID-19. At this time, state customs officials actively promoted the import of…

In 2023, the digestive remedies category is witnessing stable growth both in retail volume and current value terms, with demand patterns returning to that observed prior to the pandemic. With consumer lifestyles normalised and more eating out of the…

After lifting the requirement to wear masks in the post-pandemic period, sales of herbal traditional products have gained momentum. In 2023, the return of frequent seasonal colds has also stimulated sales. The resurgence in demand for traditional…

Uzbek parents are keen to prioritise the wellbeing of their children and have a strong propensity to invest in their health. This trend has been gathering pace over the review period especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic…

The sports nutrition category in Uzbekistan is experiencing rather modest growth in 2023, spurred by recovery from the challenges faced in the COVID-19 pandemic period. The trend towards the adoption of healthy lifestyles has fuelled attendance at…

In general, there is low consumer awareness of the health advantages to be obtained from a regular intake of vitamins. Uzbek consumers very rarely purchase vitamins, believing them to be easily obtainable from daily meals, as well as vegetables and…

Wound care is one of the least dynamic and saturated categories in consumer health in Uzbekistan, with retail volume and current value sales slowing in 2023. The category is dominated by budget offerings, including sticking plasters and tapes.…

Although corruption is being tackled and government finances are strong, Uzbekistan remains an authoritarian state. Thanks to higher remittances, exports and consumption, economic development has been solid, but elevated inflation persists. Reduction…

Cooking ingredients and meals has almost completely recovered from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023. At the same time, it is being affected by geopolitical changes in the region caused by the war in Ukraine. In 2023, inflation in…

On aggregate, edible oils continued to record strong growth in Uzbekistan during 2023, despite the turmoil that has been seen in edible oils at regional and global levels, and the threat of inflation that has put pressure on spending power at local…

In 2023, the meals and soups category showed sales growth in volume and value terms, spurred by the return to normal lifestyles post-pandemic and the return of employees to the workplace. The general increase in the number of working women in…

In 2023, the sauces, dips and condiments category is witnessing a more moderate pace of current value growth compared to 2022. Falling unit prices have curbed current value growth in 2023, but are supporting overall volume sales. Overall, the fastest…

The sweet spreads category is witnessing a recovery in volume sales in 2023 as retail prices stabilize relative to 2022 levels. Retail prices had soared in 2022 due to the rising cost of raw materials (sugar, fruits), as well as logistics and…

In 2023, price inflation has slowed in baked goods leading to a stronger rate of volume growth. Retail prices soared in 2022 amid rising costs, although consumer demand remained resilient, Bread is a socially important product in Uzbekistan and its…

Breakfast cereals enjoyed a stronger year of retail volume growth in 2023, as prices continued to rise, but at a slower pace than in 2022. This was largely due to the continued dependence on imports in this category. Breakfast cereals is a relatively…

Uzbekistan is a country that is famous for its warm climate, in which a large number of vegetables and fruits are grown. The country’s climate and topography are very suitable for growing a very wide variety of crops, with local specialties including…

Retail price increases in the processed meat category began to slow in 2023, relative to the previous year. Population growth in Uzbekistan is supporting the underlying demand for processed meat. Overall, it is very common for people in Uzbekistan to…

Dried pasta and rice remain two of the most important staple sources of starchy carbohydrates for much of the population of Uzbekistan. Rice in particular is a key category of staple foods and it is the key component of the country’s most famous and…

After a very turbulent period for staple foods in 2022, with geopolitical changes in the region driving up prices on most grocery products, volume sales have picked up in 2023. The Uzbek economy has improved with retail prices in a number of…

The stronger emphasis on water consumption in Uzbekistan, coupled with the hot climate and growing population, continued to have a favourable impact on bottled water sales in 2023. The category has maintained the strong pace of growth seen in recent…

Carbonates continue to enjoy strong double-digit growth in the off-trade underpinned by population growth, urbanization and the slowdown in unit price growth. The country‘s youthful demographic profile is one of the key drivers of overall demand.…

In 2023, there was a significant improvement in the total sales volume of coffee compared to 2022. This positive shift can be attributed to various factors, including overcoming the impact of high inflation following the pandemic and Russia's…

The popularity of energy drinks is on the rise in Uzbekistan, with strong double-digit growth rates in volume and value terms. The perception of energy drinks as a source of energy, coupled with the ongoing urbanization trend, continues to play a…

The landscape of hot drinks in Uzbekistan in 2023 is primarily shaped by the enduring popularity of tea, particularly green tea. Green tea, holding a significant market share in both volume and value terms, continues to exhibit a positive trend,…

In 2023, juice continues to show positive volume growth as unit prices decrease in line with falling inflation. Rising demand for juice drinks is also a central part of the buoyant performance witnessed in the overall juice category, which are an…

In 2023, other hot drinks witnessed a noteworthy rebound with a single-digit increase in sales volume, marking a recovery from the decline experienced in 2022. The positive development was influenced by a reduction in the unit price pace. The growing…

In 2023, RTD tea continues to experience double-digit growth in volume and value terms with growth accelerating in comparison to 2023 as unit prices fell. The popularity of RTD tea can be attributed to Uzbekistan’s strong tea-drinking culture with…