The Food City Tashkent company, which operates a wholesale fruit and vegetable market, has canceled an inflated fee for bringing ice into the market area following intervention by the Committee for the Development of Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights. The committee's press service reported the development.

An entrepreneur engaged in ice trading on the Food City Tashkent premises filed a complaint with the committee, alleging that the market administration was creating artificial barriers. Specifically, the fee for bringing packaged and unpackaged ice into the market area was increased several times, reaching 737,000 soums per day. The entrepreneur claimed this was an attempt to force him out of the market.

The committee investigated the allegations and sent a request to the market administration. During the review process, negotiations between Food City Tashkent and the entrepreneur led to an agreement. As a result, the issue raised in the complaint was resolved positively, and the unjustifiably inflated fee was canceled.

The competition committee warned all entities with superior bargaining power, regardless of ownership form. It noted that the ability of an economic entity or group of entities not holding a dominant position to unilaterally determine contract terms, the territory for selling goods, or prices is considered superior bargaining power. Abuse of such power may result in financial sanctions under the Law on Competition.

Source: www.gazeta.uz