Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Experts from the Institute for Forecasting and Macroeconomic Research (IPMI) have identified the types of products produced in special economic zones (SEZs) that are most in demand among the population.

More than 47 percent of various high-quality, modern products manufactured in free economic zones are sold to the population.

To assess consumer preferences for products, the Consumer Preference Index (ICP) was used. This index includes a sales volume index, a consumption price index, and an inventory balance index.

The indices are calculated for 27 types of consumer products, which account for 81 percent of the total volume of consumer products produced. Based on the ICP methodology, a rating of consumer products was compiled.

As of 1 October 2022, consumer demand for 11 types of products has increased. This is 40.7 percent of the total number of products studied.

For 9 months of the current year, sales volumes increased for 15 types of products (55.6 percent of the studied types of products), consumer prices for 10 types of products (37 percent) decreased, and for 9 types of products (33.3 percent) there was a decrease in the balance of commodity stocks.

The most demanded among the population in the first months of the year were textile and clothing products, food, chemical, metal and engineering, paper and glass products. In the first half of the year, the place of textile and clothing products was taken by electrical products. In the first nine months of 2022, pharmaceutical products rose to the first place, and consumer interest in cars increased.

If you look at the ICP sub-indices, then during the 3rd quarters of 2022, high sales indices were for: passenger cars and other motor vehicles; razors and razor blades; wallpaper; pads, diapers, diapers; heating furnaces and these types of products have retained their leading positions.

The consumer price index showed a quarterly decline in prices of fruits, nuts, prepared or preserved; razors and razor blades; wallpaper; heating furnaces. Also, in the 3rd quarter of the current year, the number of consumer products increased by 2 times compared to the beginning of the year, the prices for which decreased.

According to the index of inventory balances, during all nine months of the current year, a decrease in the balance of telephone sets household electromechanical machines; canned beans was noted. The largest number of types of products that reduced stocks was observed in the 2nd quarter (12 types of products or 44.4 percent).

The Consumer Preferences Index (ICP), which was used to study FEZ products, allows to assess how products are perceived by the market, to track what influences the consumer the most when choosing a particular product. This contributes to making the right decisions on the production of products that are in demand to meet the needs of the economy and the population, preventing a sharp increase in prices for consumer goods in local markets and artificial shortages, as well as providing the population with quality products.