Study: 64% of Uzbeks to Spend Up to 2 Million Soums on Summer Items

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The majority of Uzbekistan residents plan to spend no more than 2 million soums on summer purchases, according to a consumer behavior study conducted by the Wildberries Research Center.

The study shows that 64% of respondents intend to spend up to 2 million soums on goods for themselves between June and August. Another 23% are ready to spend between 2 million and 4 million soums, while 13% expect their expenses to exceed 4 million soums.

With the arrival of summer, 43% of those surveyed plan to spend their free time in their own city. Working will occupy the summer months for 29%, while 25% intend to go on vacation or travel to another city or country. Additionally, 24% will relax in nature more often, and 12% will spend time at their country houses.

Among those planning trips, beach vacations remain the most popular choice, selected by 59% of respondents. Another 50% prefer traveling to new cities and countries to experience their culture and sights.

Most survey participants have already begun preparing for the summer season, with 63% having purchased the necessary goods. Meanwhile, 36% make purchases a few days or a week before a trip, and 20% begin preparations either several weeks or a month or more in advance. Another 13% prefer to buy necessary items directly at their vacation destination, while 14% do not buy special goods for travel.

Marketplaces have become the primary channel for summer purchases, used by 77% of those surveyed. Markets and fairs followed at 36%, supermarkets and convenience stores at 33%, and hypermarkets at 18%. Offline store websites accounted for 15%, while specialized sports and travel stores, alongside online delivery services, each drew 11%. Another 8% buy goods at electronics stores, and 3% make purchases at retail outlets in airports and railway stations.

Uzbekistan residents most frequently purchase clothing and footwear (45%), sunglasses (31%), sunscreen and beach accessories (30% each), and summer headwear (24%) for the summer season. Among planned purchases, seasonal clothing and footwear lead with 39%, followed by swimwear and beach goods at 25%, and sunscreen at 23%. At the same time, 22% of respondents reported that they do not intend to buy special goods for recreation.

During travel, the most frequently purchased items are food and beverages (44%), souvenirs and local goods (30%), personal hygiene products (16%), disposable tableware and napkins (15%), first-aid kit items (14%), and sunscreen (11%).

Despite the popularity of online retail, most Uzbekistan residents still prefer to shop in offline stores while on vacation. Specifically, 27% visit shopping centers or hypermarkets, 26% go to the nearest stores, and 18% visit markets. At the same time, 18% are willing to place an order on a marketplace for delivery to the nearest pick-up point, while 5% use courier delivery or traditional store websites.

The study also showed that 40% of Uzbekistan residents have already ordered goods with delivery to their vacation destination at least once, including 35% who did so through Wildberries. Meanwhile, 40% of respondents do not place orders during vacation, 34% prefer to receive purchases at their usual pick-up point after returning home, 20% choose a pick-up point near their vacation spot, 5% use courier delivery, and 2% use automated parcel lockers.