SCALE, CHANNEL STRUCTURE AND EFFICIENCY OF RETAIL TRADE SERVICES IN UZBEKISTAN

The article examines how the size structure of retail enterprises, the shift between sales channels and the composition of consumer demand determine the efficiency of retail trade services in Uzbekistan. The study draws on official statistics of the National Statistics Committee and analytical data for 2016-2025. Turnover per enterprise, the relative labour productivity of trade, compound annual growth rates and arc elasticities of retail turnover with respect to household credit and deposits are calculated. In 2025, the 344 large retail enterprises generated an average turnover of 238.2 billion UZS each, 51 times more than small enterprises and micro-firms (4.67 billion UZS). The share of markets in retail turnover fell from 69% in 2016 to 48% in 2025, while e-commerce reached only 4.7%. Trade accounts for 10.1% of employment but about 6.1% of GDP, which places labour productivity in trade at roughly 60% of the economy-wide average. The arc elasticity of retail turnover with respect to retail loans for 2019–2025 equals 0.72. The results justify measures aimed at consolidating retail services into chain formats, developing omnichannel sales and raising labour productivity in small retail enterprises.