The Republic of Uzbekistan recorded a sharp increase in domestic trade volumes. From January to May 2026, the retail trade turnover in the country reached 210,243.1 billion soums. In real terms, the indicator increased by 20.7% compared to the same period last year, according to the official report from the Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. As of June 1, 2026, 88,686 specialized retail enterprises were operating in the republic, of which 439 entities belong to the large business category, and 88,247 units represent small businesses and micro-firms. Small businesses dominate the sales structure, accounting for an 81.5% share, with a turnover reaching 143,386.8 billion soums at a growth rate of 18.0%. Large retail organizations generated a turnover of 38,880.6 billion soums, demonstrating a growth dynamic of 25.6%. The highest dynamics of retail sales development were demonstrated by the following regions of the country: Tashkent city — a 33.0% growth. Republic of Karakalpakstan — a 32.1% growth. Syrdarya region — a 27.2% growth. The lowest rates of trade turnover increase were noted in the Kashkadarya (8.0%) and Tashkent (8.8%) regions. Wholesale trade turnover in Uzbekistan for the first five months of 2026 amounted to 209,361.2 billion soums, an increase of 15.4% in real terms relative to last year's figures. The total number of wholesale companies reached 55,216 units by the beginning of June. Large organizations in the sector increased their turnover by 28.2% (to 68,203.2 billion soums), while small enterprises added 10.1% (to 141,158.0 billion soums). The share of small business in the wholesale segment was 67.4%. Among the regions, the leaders in terms of wholesale trade growth rates are the Navoi and Fergana regions (19.7% each), as well as the Kashkadarya region (18.6%). Modest growth was recorded in the Namangan and Jizzakh regions—6.6% each. In parallel, the public catering industry is developing in the country. From January to May 2026, the turnover of restaurants and cafes amounted to 94,441.1 billion soums, showing an 11.1% growth in real terms. There are 28,483 enterprises operating in this sector, with 75.5% of the total market turnover generated by small and micro-businesses. For Chinese manufacturers the rapid expansion of Uzbekistan's domestic market opens up massive commercial prospects. The double-digit growth rates of retail (+20.7%) and wholesale (+15.4%) trade indicate a steady increase in the purchasing power of the population and the formation of a capacious consumer market. Given that over 81% of retail and 67% of wholesale trade is controlled by small and medium-sized businesses, Chinese FMCG exporters can effectively enter this market through an extensive network of local distributors. 

A steady sales growth has been recorded in the non-alcoholic beer segment in the Russian Federation—the indicator has increased by 15%. Over the past few years, the share of such products in the Russian market has reached the 3.5–3.7% mark, which in physical terms amounts to about 2 million hectoliters. Analysts emphasize that the potential for further scaling remains significant compared to European figures: in Germany, the share of non-alcoholic beer occupies 14% of the market, and in the Czech Republic, it is almost 10%. The positive economic dynamics in the sector were driven by several industrial and social factors: Improvement of the flavor characteristics of the manufactured products. Significant expansion of retailers' assortment matrices, including the emergence of niche wheat non-alcoholic varieties. Transformation of consumer perception—shoppers are increasingly choosing this product consciously, rather than as a forced compromise when giving up alcohol. Market participants see a real potential for doubling production and sales volumes in the coming years. "Achieving a twofold growth requires joint efforts from retailers to expand shelf space, from regulators to prevent discrimination against the segment, and from the manufacturers themselves to popularize the category," note experts from the specialized portal New Retail. This consumer trend creates a promising niche for Chinese food equipment manufacturers and beverage exporters. Firstly, Russian breweries will need modern technological lines for dealcoholization (including vacuum distillation units and reverse osmosis membrane systems), which are produced in the PRC. Secondly, Russian federal retail chains are increasingly diversifying their import supplies, which opens up supermarket shelves for high-quality Asian non-alcoholic beer brands.

The vast majority of consumers in Russia demonstrate a high interest in a healthy lifestyle, but face significant difficulties in shaping their daily diet. According to the results of a large-scale joint study by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) and the industry project "Logic of Milk," which involved 3,200 respondents, 92% of Russians are interested in the topic of proper nutrition. However, only 40% of those surveyed assess their current diet as balanced. The main obstacle to changing consumer habits is information noise. Analytics reveal the following trends: 71% of survey participants regularly encounter contradictory recommendations from nutrition experts. 72% find the offered advice too complex to apply in real life. 56% of respondents prefer to leave things as they are and not change their eating habits when faced with conflicting information. The study "The Perfect Plate: In Search of a National Healthy Eating Idea" revealed an acute need among the population for unified, accessible, and understandable government recommendations—67% of citizens stated this. Consumers expect the healthy eating concept to take into account harsh everyday realities: limited family budgets, fatigue after work shifts, and established taste preferences. Milk is cited as an example of a staple product; while positioned as an affordable Russian superfood, it suffers from an abundance of social media myths lacking an evidence base. "It is important that the framework for nutrition speaks to a person calmly and respectfully. The goal is not to make all plates identical, but to help people choose what is simultaneously healthy, familiar, and affordable," the study's authors emphasize. For Chinese manufacturers and exporters of FMCG food products, this VCIOM data serves as a direct guide for building a marketing strategy in the Russian market. The promotion of new food products (e.g., Asian functional drinks, noodles with healthy additives, or healthy snacks) should not rely on complex instructions or aggressive healthy lifestyle slogans. Chinese brands need to emphasize clean labels (clear ingredients), ease of preparation, and affordability. Products that easily integrate into a Russian's familiar dinner and do not require overpaying for "trendy" ingredients have the greatest potential for large-scale sales in national retail chains.

Modern consumer trends in Russia are compelling food manufacturers to modernize familiar product categories to reduce the time shoppers spend on cooking. Bonduelle has launched a ready-made culinary solution on the market: pre-boiled and diced vegetables in a can for the traditional Russian Olivier salad. This format is designed for maximum convenience and speed of dish preparation at home. Changes are also taking place in the traditional Russian snacks segment, where brands are trying to stand out through unusual positioning. The sunflower seed brand Bratan has launched a product line with flavor profiles atypical for this market: from Asian spices to exquisite pecan. In the low-alcohol category, Permalko JSC introduced the Villa di Frutti Botanica line of infused spirits, with an apple and exotic prickly pear flavored drink serving as the flagship product. China is a recognized global leader in the production of technological equipment for automatic food dicing, freeze-drying, vacuum packaging, and sterilization. Russian manufacturers of snacks and ready-made vegetable kits will actively increase their procurement of such automated lines from the PRC to ensure high-speed processing of raw materials and long product shelf life without compromising flavor qualities.

The Russian soft drinks market is showing a pronounced trend toward premiumization and functionality. Manufacturers are focusing on products that deliver additional health benefits or offer a complex flavor profile. In particular, Loom vitamin water has appeared in retail, containing active ingredients that help control appetite and manage weight. At the same time, major industry players are experimenting with flavors and packaging in traditional categories: The Abrau-Durso company has introduced its grape water “4 Vody” in a new aluminum can format instead of glass. The Laimon Fresh brand has launched a highly carbonated beverage featuring an unusual combination of kola nut, grape, and mountain herbs. China’s soft drinks industry and functional ingredients sector (herbal extracts, vitamin premixes, natural sugar substitutes) are significantly ahead of many markets. Chinese manufacturers can offer Russian brands both ready-made innovative canned beverages and a high-quality raw material base for creating functional products, the demand for which is rapidly increasing in Russia amid the healthy lifestyle trend.

Major Russian retailers continue to actively develop the ready-to-eat and private label (PL) segments, focusing on unique partnership projects. The Magnit retail chain is scaling up its collaboration with the popular fast-food brand Rostic’s by launching the chain's ready-to-eat meals on its shelves. Previously, a similar format of ready-made meals from a restaurant brand was tested in Perekrestok supermarkets. In parallel, retail chains are strengthening their positions in the confectionery segment in an effort to offer shoppers exclusive new products. The aforementioned retailer introduced the first chocolate-covered berries on the Russian market under its premium private label, Premiere of Taste. Another product launch that fits into this trend is a functional confectionery item—gummy candies with teeth-friendly properties, developed by the prominent oral care brand R.O.C.S. in collaboration with the retail chain. For Chinese manufacturers of confectionery and ready-made meals, this sends a clear signal: Russian retail is highly interested in contract manufacturing (Private Label) and unique product launches. Chinese factories capable of providing consistent quality, eco-friendly raw materials, and unusual flavor profiles for premium private labels can directly approach the procurement departments of leading Russian retail chains, bypassing intermediaries.

The Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation continues the practice of including the commission fees of payment agents in the total customs value of imported goods. Such actions lead to declarants being accused of artificially understating the customs value, resulting in the initiation of administrative cases under Article 16.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation (CAO RF). This occurs despite official clarifications from the Russian Ministry of Finance indicating that such an approach is unlawful. Participants in foreign economic activity are successfully challenging these decisions in arbitration courts. The judicial authorities consistently side with importers in cases where the payment agent performs an exclusively technical function of transferring funds, rather than providing full-fledged intermediary services for purchasing products abroad. "The agent was not a third party to the transaction, had no legal relationship with the seller, and was engaged solely to perform the technical function of transferring funds from the buyer to the supplier due to the sanctions imposed by unfriendly states against the banking and payment system of the Russian Federation," states the official ruling of the arbitration court in one of the reviewed cases. Legal Precedents of 2025Several recent proceedings with the Sheremetyevo Customs that ended in favor of the declarants are indicative: Case No. A41-35195/2025 (Promarket LLC): The court found that the declarant correctly applied the first method of determining customs value. The customs authority was ordered not only to return the illegally withheld financial security but also to pay the company interest in the amount of 76.5 thousand rubles. Case No. A41-67608/2025 (Telecom Soft LLC): The Tenth Arbitration Court of Appeal confirmed that the agent performed only a technical function due to sanctions restrictions. The customs authority is obliged to return excessively collected payments amounting to more than 536 thousand rubles to the company. In its decision, the court directly relied on paragraph 3 of Article 39 of the EAEU Customs Code. Case No. A41-52604/25 (Trans-Business Ramenskoye LLC): The court confirmed that concluding an agreement with a payment agent was the buyer's own initiative for the technical provision of payment, and not a mandatory condition of the export contract for the supply of goods. The appellate court upheld the decision declaring the company not guilty. For Chinese manufacturers and exporters of FMCG food products, this legal practice is of crucial importance. The use of payment agents (including through third countries) for transferring RMB or rubles has become a standard operating procedure due to current financial restrictions and difficulties with direct bank transactions. Protecting importers from additional customs charges allows Russian food distributors to maintain profitability, avoid disrupting customs clearance deadlines for perishable cargo, and keep stable retail prices for Chinese products in the Russian market.

The Eurasian Economic Commission has determined a unified customs code for food products in powder form intended for the preparation of sports protein drinks. The new control rules apply to dry mixtures packaged for retail sale (in particular, in 2.27 kg containers). The product must consist of a mixture of whey protein (containing more than 80 wt.% calculated on the dry matter), fat-free cocoa powder, as well as safe flavorings, sweeteners, and a thickener in the form of xanthan gum. "A food product in powder form used for mixing into a beverage as a protein supplement... is classified under subheading 1806 20 of the unified Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Eurasian Economic Union," the official customs decision states. The market for sports nutrition and specialized food supplements in Russia demonstrates stable growth. For Chinese manufacturers of whey protein and food mixtures, this clarification will help avoid the risk of product reclassification at the border and eliminate the need for additional, lengthy laboratory examinations of the composition.

PJSC Winelab has officially announced the opening of a new high-tech flagship store in Moscow, located in the "IQ-Quarter" on Presnenskaya Embankment. With the launch of this retail space, the total number of the chain's stores has reached 2,222 locations. The total area of the new flagship is 162 sq. m, of which 120 sq. m is allocated directly to the sales floor. The current assortment matrix includes 2,730 items, with a maximum shelf capacity of up to 3,000 SKUs, significantly exceeding the figures of the chain's standard stores. For customer convenience, customized software for processing online orders via the click & collect system has been implemented, allowing goods to be picked up just 15 minutes after placing an online order. The main feature of the Moscow flagship is the pilot launch of an AI-based digital sommelier. A neural network, specially trained on Winelab's current assortment, helps customers via an interactive panel choose alcohol based on personal taste preferences, for a specific gastronomic dish, or as a gift. Additionally, a robot promoter operates on the sales floor—a mobile device that moves goods around the store and draws visitors' attention to specific product categories. Furthermore, the company has completely abandoned traditional printed promotional materials in favor of modern digital screens. The new location is equipped with a specialized wine boutique and a tasting room. Special emphasis is placed on installing additional refrigerated display cases for non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages, which are highlighted by the robot promoter. The company continues its concept of expanding the functionality of its flagship stores. For instance, a previously opened Far Eastern store with an area of over 800 sq. m in Vladivostok featured a cafe and a sushi pick-up point.

EAEU customs authorities have detailed the classification of premium chocolate of complex shapes with multiple additional ingredients. This refers to products in the form of connected pyramid-shaped segments placed on a solid base with a rectangular cross-section. To accurately fall under the new customs code, the product must have a strictly regulated composition: Cocoa product content in the chocolate mass — not less than 28%. Dairy product content — not less than 14%. Presence of additional ingredients: whole milk powder, raisins (12%), honey (3%), almonds (1.6%), as well as honey-almond nougat and nuts, which are evenly distributed throughout the chocolate mass. "In accordance with General Rules 1 and 6 for the Interpretation of the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity, they are classified under subheading 1806 32 of the unified Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity," the regulatory documents state. Such a classification clarification is crucial for Chinese confectionery factories exporting premium chocolate with complex fillings to the Russian market. The exact determination of the code (subheading 1806 32) directly affects the correct calculation of customs value and import duties, protecting importers from fines for unintentional false declaration.

As part of the business program at the "Russian Retail Week" forum, experts discussed ways to reduce financial costs for retail businesses. Special attention was paid to commissions for accepting cashless payments. According to industry analysts, the average rate for classic bank acquiring currently ranges from 1.14% to 2.5%. As a more profitable alternative, grocery retail chains are advised to actively use the Fast Payment System (SBP) via QR codes, where the commission is significantly lower and amounts to only 0.4–0.7%. With the constant growth of turnover, the percentage difference becomes critical. Specialists identify several of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when setting up payment acceptance: Choosing disadvantageous base rates without considering alternatives. Purchasing or renting unnecessary cash register equipment. Lack of regular transaction analytics. Financial losses from such miscalculations may be completely imperceptible in the moment, but over the course of a year, they can reach 90,000–120,000 rubles even with a relatively small turnover of 1 million rubles. The payment infrastructure must be flexible and adapt to business scaling in a timely manner, while remaining convenient for end consumers. "For a young retail business at the start, QR code plaques and mPOS terminals or 2-in-1 cash registers will be cheaper and more profitable. A growing retail business needs equipment with high payment processing speeds, an increased share of QR payments, and control over hidden costs," noted Ilya Romanov, Head of the "Merchant Acquiring" product at Tochka bank for entrepreneurs. For Chinese investors and suppliers opening their own branded FMCG sales points, Asian grocery stores, or ready-to-eat food corners in Russia, the use of SBP (which is conceptually similar to the WeChat Pay and Alipay systems familiar in the PRC) is a key tool. In a low-margin grocery retail environment, reducing the acquiring burden directly increases the company's net profit and allows it to offer customers more competitive retail prices for imported products.

On 25 June 2026, an online seminar titled “Russia and Central Asia: Exporting Food Products to Overseas Markets” was held, bringing together key stakeholders in cross-border food trade. The event was jointly organized by the B2B platform 云食界 (EFOODLINE) and the specialized platform RetailChina.pro, which focuses on supporting the systematic expansion of Chinese food brands into Russia and CIS countries. More than 30 Chinese manufacturers and exporters of food products and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) participated in the seminar. The program combined analytical presentations with an interactive online Q&A session, offering attendees both market insights and practical guidance. Experts from RetailChina.pro presented an updated overview of the Russian food retail market, including demand trends for imported food products and FMCG in Russia and Central Asian countries. Particular emphasis was placed on operational issues that exporting companies face when entering new markets: product quality and safety requirements, certification procedures and compliance with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) regulations, as well as logistics solutions and supply chain specifics. The growing interest of Chinese businesses in the region is supported by solid economic indicators. According to data from RetailChina.pro, Russian food retail sales have increased by almost one quarter over the past year, with total industry revenue exceeding 16 trillion rubles. In parallel, bilateral agricultural trade between China and Russia has expanded markedly. Statistics from the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce show that in the first quarter of 2026, agricultural trade between China and Russia reached 35.2 billion US dollars, up 36.9% year-on-year. Over the same period, China’s food exports to Russia rose by 21.1%. In the first five months of 2026, Russia tripled its imports of Chinese rice and rice products, underscoring the strengthening role of Chinese suppliers in the Russian food market. The seminar was held in a business-oriented, practical atmosphere and enabled participants to obtain not only theoretical information, but also concrete recommendations for entering promising markets in Russia and Central Asia. The organizers reported strong interest from Chinese manufacturers and expressed their intention to continue holding similar events aimed at further developing bilateral trade in food products and FMCG. About the organizers 云食界 (EFOODLINE) is a leading B2B platform for promoting international food trade, established under the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce. The platform cooperates with major international exhibitions, including the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Canton Fair, and works with global retail chains and online platforms such as Walmart, Carrefour, Wumart, Vanguard, CP Group, JD and Meituan. RetailChina.pro is a closed B2B platform designed to facilitate the systematic entry of Chinese manufacturers into the markets of Russia and CIS countries. The platform provides suppliers with a professional B2B showcase and access to a verified database of importers and distributors across key product categories. By aggregating up-to-date analytics and market data, RetailChina.pro helps Chinese brands increase their visibility and establish direct contacts with purchasing departments of major retail chains in the region.