Uzbekistan Refunds Over 30 Bln Soums in Catering VAT

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan refunded over 30 billion soums in value-added tax (VAT) to public catering businesses in June and July 2026, marking a 75 percent increase compared to the April–May period, the Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan reported.

The increase follows a policy change effective 1 June 2026, under which food service entrepreneurs receive a 40 percent refund on paid VAT regardless of the proportion of non-cash transactions in their total revenue.

According to the committee, the revised VAT refund procedure aims to reduce the tax burden on businesses and encourage full reporting of service revenues.

The tax authority noted that the initiative allows businesses to retain funds to expand operations, create jobs, and improve service quality.