BPS: Consumers Prioritise Experiences Over Clothing Purchases

BPS has highlighted changing consumer patterns in Indonesia. According to BPS Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Indonesians are increasingly favouring experience-based consumption—such as transport, restaurants, hotels, and travel—over purchasing new clothing. ‘This shows our consumption patterns have shifted towards experiences rather than buying clothes,’ she said, citing Antara on Wednesday (27 May 2026).

Mobility during Ramadan and Idul Fitri 1447 Hijriah was a key driver of this shift. BPS data shows domestic tourism grew by 13.14% in the first quarter of 2026. Amalia explained that this data was collected using a new mobile positioning methodology in collaboration with major telecom providers Telkomsel, XL, and Indosat, which tracks inter-regional movement without privacy concerns.

Electronic trade transactions grew 27.8% year-on-year, with digital transactions rising 6.19% quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2026. QRIS usage surged 111.94% annually. Amalia attributed these changes to Indonesia’s demographic structure, dominated by younger generations. According to the BPS Intercensal Population Survey on 5 May 2026, Millennials and Gen Z make up nearly 49% of the population, with post-Gen Z (children under 12) contributing 19.65%. Combined, these groups account for 68% of Indonesia’s population. ‘This is why consumer behaviour has changed from previous eras,’ Amalia said.