Uzbekistan Senate approves consumer protection amendments

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s Senate approved at its 19th plenary session the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Article 14 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan ‘On the Protection of Consumer Rights.’”

The amendments clarify the legal grounds and procedure for additional checks of product quality in cases where the presence or cause of a defect cannot be established from the product’s appearance.

Under the amendments, an additional check may be conducted if product defects are identified after the product has been sold to the consumer as a result of violations of established storage or usage rules. The procedure also applies when the product’s appearance does not make it possible to determine whether the defect resulted from the actions of third parties.

The document establishes the procedure and time limits for conducting an additional check, as well as the procedure for consumer participation and reimbursement of expenses related to the examination.

Consumers will be able to attend the additional quality check personally or through a representative. They will also be able to arrange such a check independently at their own expense.

During the discussion, senators noted that Uzbekistan has implemented large-scale reforms in recent years aimed at strengthening consumer rights protection, including through the development of a competitive environment.

According to the senators, adoption of the law will improve the effectiveness of consumer protection mechanisms and create more stable and reliable legal conditions for market participants.

Following consideration, the law was approved by the senators.