Consumers and MSMEs More Selective in Spending Amid Rising Cost of Living

Inflationary pressure and rising prices of various necessities are driving the public to be more careful in managing their expenses. Not only households, but micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) operators are also required to maintain cost efficiency so that their businesses can continue to run without burdening consumers with price increases. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that Indonesia’s annual inflation in April 2026 reached 2.42%. This condition is making the public pay more attention to the value of every expenditure made.

Financial planner Prita Ghozie considers price certainty an important factor in helping the public arrange healthier financial planning amid dynamic economic conditions. “Amid the inflationary pressure still felt by the public, price certainty is not just a shopping benefit, but also part of healthy financial planning. When the price of a product is predictable, consumers and small business operators can allocate their budgets in a more planned manner and are not reactive to price changes,” she said.

According to her, the need for price stability is also felt by MSME operators who are still in the early stages of business development. With more stable prices, business operators can arrange shopping plans and manage capital more efficiently. Prita added that amid economic uncertainty, consumers are not only looking for cheap prices, but also certainty that helps them plan their spending better. “Amid economic dynamics, discerning consumers need a reliable shopping partner, not only in terms of price, but also in terms of certainty,” she emphasised.

This condition is felt by Annisa Amelia, an ice cream business operator from Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan. Together with her husband, she manages the Ice Cream BJM business, which is the family’s main source of income. Annisa admits she has to be increasingly careful in managing business costs because various production necessities have experienced price increases. “Now many goods have gone up in price, from plastics to raw materials. But our buyers are schoolchildren, their pocket money is limited. So we cannot just raise prices,” Annisa revealed. Despite facing these challenges, she continues to try to develop the business by improving the quality of packaging and product appearance to make them more attractive to consumers. According to her, spending efficiency is one of the keys to maintaining business continuity.

A similar phenomenon is also felt by young people who are entering a phase of financial independence. Anastasya Raudothul Jannah, a 19-year-old resident of Tangerang, admitted to being more careful in managing expenses after completing an internship and while still looking for work. “For me, a price that stays the same like this really helps, especially now that I am still looking for a job and have to be more calculating about expenses,” she said.

Seeing this trend, a number of retailers are beginning to highlight the aspect of price certainty as a strategy to maintain public purchasing power. One of them is carried out by MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia through the ‘Harga Tetap Sama’ (Price Stays the Same) programme. Retail Management Director of MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia, Hendra Kurniawan, said price certainty is a need that the public increasingly seeks amid ever-changing economic conditions. “Through the ‘Harga Tetap Sama’ commitment, we want to emphasise that price affordability remains MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia’s top priority. Amid the continuously moving economic landscape, we want customers to still be able to go about their daily lives and develop their businesses with greater peace of mind,” said Hendra. The company currently operates more than 1,300 stores in various regions of Indonesia. The strategy of maintaining price consistency is carried out to ensure public access to household needs and business equipment is maintained. As part of the campaign, at the end of May MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia presented a giant padlock installation in the Kendal Tunnel, Jakarta, as well as various interactive activities during Car Free Day in several regions. These activities were aimed at introducing the concept of affordability and price certainty to the public.