Serik Zhumangarin: there will be no labeling of packaged water and beverages

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin discussed labeling issues with business at the site of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken".

During the discussion, the issues of labeling jewelry, packaged water and beverages, shoes, labeling pharmaceutical products were raised.

The meeting summed up the results of a pilot project for labeling packaged water and sugar-containing beverages. About 13 enterprises took part in the pilot.

"According to the results of the pilot project, a number of shortcomings were identified, such as the lack of marking equipment, printing houses in the country, the presence of counterfeit goods, as well as the rise in the cost of manufactured products due to the financial burden on manufacturers. Based on the results of discussions with the business community, it was decided that it was inappropriate to introduce mandatory labeling within the country", - said Serik Zhumangarin.

Recall that one of the main goals of the introduction of the digital labeling system of goods was the fight against shadow imports. According to statistics, the import of shoes to Kazakhstan increased by 34.8% - from 39.5 million pairs in 2019 to 53.2 million pairs in 2021. According to the SRC of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the amount of payment of customs duties and taxes from the import of shoes in 2021 doubled compared to 2019 and amounted to 30 billion tenge (in 2019 – 14.5 billion tenge).

For 8 months of 2022, the amount of payment of customs duties and taxes amounted to 14 billion tenge.

Tax revenues from retail trade in footwear and leather goods in specialty stores increased almost 2.9 times from 2.7 billion tenge in 2019 to 7.9 billion tenge in 2021.

For 8 months of 2022, tax revenues amounted to 6.8 billion tenge.

It is worth noting that today labeling does not work fully, taking into account the business benefits.

Following the discussion, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken" Raimbek Batalov noted that a separate meeting will be organized on the labeling of shoes and pharmaceutical products. More than 20 business and association representatives took part in the discussion.