Starting from April 1, a new regulation came into force in the field of trade and services in Uzbekistan. Now, for some goods and services, payment can only be made cashless — that is, through bank cards. This was announced by representatives of the Tax Committee at a press conference.
It is reported that a total of 28 thousand types of goods and services will be sold in cashless form. The majority — about 22 thousand types — accounts for tobacco and alcohol products. That is, when purchasing such products, it is now mandatory to use a card.
In addition, payments for 561 types of real estate and vehicles, as well as for 56 types of public services, will also be made only through banks. At the same time, about 5 thousand types of products priced above 25 million soums will also be sold in a cashless format.
How does it work in a store?
The new system affects even the usual purchasing process. For example, if a customer selects food products along with cigarettes, the option of cash payment for cigarettes at the checkout will be disabled. This means that cigarettes can only be purchased using a card.
If the customer removes cigarettes from the receipt, the option to pay cash for the remaining products becomes active again. At the same time, cashless payment remains available for all goods.
Why was this introduced?
According to experts, such restrictions aim to bring the economy out of the shadow and increase tax revenues. That is, all transactions will be officially recorded, increasing financial transparency.
Also, this measure is intended to strengthen control over the circulation of certain goods, especially tobacco and alcohol products.
In which areas is it mandatory?
The new rules apply not only in stores but also in other sectors. In particular:
utility payments
fuel stations
electric vehicle charging stations
Also, the sale and purchase of certain categories of vehicles produced less than 10 years ago will be carried out only in a cashless form.
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