According to him, establishments previously added 15% for service, of which 7-8% went to the waiters, while the rest remained with the owners. However, Abirov stated that many establishments decided to raise this amount to 20-22% out of fear that government authorities might introduce new regulations. "We, the deputies, are also clients of these establishments and feel how prices are rising. There is dissatisfaction in society regarding this. This is a serious problem, and it should have been approached more thoughtfully," he emphasized.
The deputy also noted that more and more citizens prefer delivery services.
“Now scooters quickly deliver orders, but prices for takeout are also increasing. For example, if an order used to cost 1,000 soms, now, including service, it costs 1,200 soms, and an additional 130 soms is added for delivery. As a result, we see a price increase of 34%!” said Abirov.
Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce Benazir Nurlanova noted that when ordering food, people choose dishes based on their budget.
“There are different segments: economy class, middle, and premium. The government decree should not have led to a price increase, but rather to their regulation. Prices have risen because establishments included their expenses in the cost of dishes,” she added, noting that the cost of delivery will be reduced.
Head of the Antimonopoly Regulation Service Zhenaly Orozbaev confirmed that some establishments raised prices by 23%, while others limited their increase to 3-4%. According to him, representatives of the HoReCa industry promised to reduce the price of delivery services by 10%.
Abirov asked about the possibility of returning to the previous pricing system.
Nurlanova replied that this issue is not currently being discussed, as consumers should know the final cost of their order in advance.
“Consumers have always been able to calculate. We must be able to acknowledge mistakes. As a result, prices have risen by 30%, and now they are offering to reduce them to 20%. Previously, it was possible to manage with 15%,” Abirov countered.
His colleague Dastan Bekeshev also expressed the opinion that the government decree should be canceled.
