3.9 Million Traders Threatened, APKLI Rejects Standardised Cigarette Packaging Rule

The Indonesian Street Vendors Association (APKLI) has stated that the draft Minister of Health Regulation concerning the inclusion of health warnings and information on tobacco and electronic cigarette products has the potential to hit the economy of small traders. The standardised packaging rule is considered a threat to the livelihoods of around 3.9 million traders. APKLI Chairman Ali Mahsun said the policy is too heavily weighted towards health aspects without considering the impact on small business actors who depend on cigarette sales. “There are 3.9 million small traders, grocery stalls, and MSMEs whose economic conditions are being neutered by this draft standardised packaging regulation. We agree there should be regulation, but what the Ministry of Health is pushing for is leading to the extinction of the people’s economy,” Ali said on Friday (3/7). According to him, packaging that is made uniform with the same colours, images, and fonts will make it difficult for consumers to differentiate products. This condition is feared to trigger the circulation of illegal cigarettes and further suppress traders’ incomes. Ali requested that the Ministry of Health evaluate the draft regulation by considering the sustainability of informal sector businesses that have been supporting the community’s economy. “Traders are independent business actors who also create jobs. Policies should not make things difficult for ordinary people who depend on daily sales for their income,” he said. Similarly, Abdul Hakim, Head of the Legal Aid Institute of the Central Board of the Ansor Youth Movement, stated that the standardised packaging provision exceeds the authority of the Ministry of Health and has the potential to clash with intellectual property rights principles. “All the draft technical regulations derived from Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024, including standardised packaging, show that the Ministry of Health is overstepping its authority. This regulation conflicts with the values of intellectual property and creativity,” said Abdul Hakim. He assessed that the regulation does not provide space for economic growth and ignores the contribution of the tobacco ecosystem to the national economy. “We ask the government to formulate policies that still pay attention to the balance between health aspects and the sustainability of the people’s economy,” he concluded.