Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan has initiated a case against YandexGo UB on grounds of potential violations of competition law, according to a statement from the agency’s press service.

The proceedings were triggered by a complaint from Uzum Market, which claimed that a YandexGo UB commercial broadcast on television and shared on social media contained elements of unfair competition. According to Uzum Market, the Yandex Market advertisement harmed its business reputation.

The committee clarified that the case is being pursued under Article 21 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Competition," which prohibits actions aimed at discrediting competitors, making improper comparisons, misleading consumers, and other forms of unfair market conduct.

Additional information will be provided upon the conclusion of the case review.

It is noted that the disputed commercial does not explicitly mention the Uzum brand. However, it allegedly includes visual cues — most notably, the depiction of a bunch of grapes (the word uzum means “grape” in Uzbek) — which may be interpreted as a reference to the company. In response, Uzum Market released its own video subtly alluding to a competitor — avoiding direct mentions but using recognizable brand-related color schemes in the actors’ clothing.