Menus in Uzbek absent in 524 catering establishments - Competition Committee Report

The Committee for the Development of Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights found that 524 out of 700 inspected public catering establishments in Uzbekistan do not have menus in Uzbek. The committee's press service shared this information, highlighting the widespread issue of non-compliance with consumer rights.

This year, the committee received around 250 consumer complaints related to violations of sanitary and hygiene standards, inflated pricing, and the absence of menus in the national language across various restaurants, cafes, kitchens, and buffets. In response, the committee, along with the Federation of Societies for the Protection of Consumer Rights of Uzbekistan, conducted a sample-based survey of 700 catering establishments across the republic.

The research revealed several issues, including, a lack of clear and accessible information on meal preparation times, prices, and payment terms, absence of information on portion sizes in menus, preparation of food in non-compliant sanitary conditions, particularly at roadside establishments, improper delivery, transportation, and storage of prepared meals.

Key findings from the 700 establishments surveyed include:

• 524 establishments (75%) did not have menus in the state language (Uzbek).
• 480 establishments (69%) did not specify their hours of operation.
• 449 establishments (65%) lacked price lists.
• 429 establishments (62%) did not have parking facilities.
• 519 establishments (74.6%) lacked emergency exits.

The Competition Committee has forwarded the findings to the relevant authorities, including the Committee on Sanitary-Epidemiological Peace and Public Health and the Technical Regulatory Agency, to address these deficiencies.

"The committee urges consumers to report any violations of these requirements by catering enterprises to the Competition Committee’s trust number (1159) to ensure their rights are protected," the report states.