Expert: Price Certainty Helps Households and MSMEs Manage Budgets

Amidst inflationary pressures and rising prices for several basic necessities, the public is increasingly in need of price certainty to maintain the financial health of households and the sustainability of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Financial planner Prita Ghozie stated that price certainty is a vital factor in helping the public create more structured budgets. According to her, consumers are currently not only looking for affordable prices but also require predictability to manage their spending more effectively.

“In the midst of the inflationary pressures still felt by the community, price certainty is not merely a shopping advantage, but also a component of healthy financial planning. When the price of a product is predictable, both consumers and small business owners can allocate their budgets more deliberately and not reactively to price changes,” PEMA said in her statement.

Based on data from the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia’s annual inflation in April 2026 was recorded at 2.42 per cent. Price increases for various public needs and business costs have made consumers increasingly selective in their spending.

Prita noted that this condition is also felt by MSME players, who must maintain a balance between production costs and consumer purchasing power. Price certainty is seen as a way to help business owners make more efficient purchasing decisions.

“For MSME players, especially those just starting out, price stability helps them make more planned purchasing decisions and allocate budgets more effectively. This allows energy and focus to be redirected towards maintaining business continuity,” she said.

This situation is experienced by Annisa Amelia, an ice cream entrepreneur from Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan. Alongside her husband, Annisa manages an ice cream business that serves as the family’s primary source of income. She admitted that she must be increasingly meticulous in managing business expenses amidst the rising costs of various needs, ranging from raw materials to supporting equipment.

“Many item prices are rising now, from plastic to raw materials. However, most of our customers are schoolchildren, so we cannot arbitrarily raise our prices. Therefore, we must be more careful in managing our expenses,” she said.

A similar experience was shared by Anastasya Raudothul Jannah, a resident of Tangerang who is currently seeking employment after completing an internship. According to her, price certainty helps in managing daily needs when income is not yet stable.

Amidst dynamic economic conditions, several retail businesses have begun offering programmes that emphasise price stability to help consumers gain certainty in their shopping.

Director of Retail Management at MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia, Hendra Kurniawan, stated that the company strives to maintain affordability through the “Same Fixed Price” programme implemented across its store network. He noted that price certainty is becoming an increasingly important public need amidst changing economic conditions.

“We want customers to be able to meet both household and business needs with more peace of mind because they have certainty in their shopping,” said Hendra.

Prita added that discerning consumers today require shopping partners that offer not only affordable prices but also consistency. In this way, both households and MSMEs can focus more on managing finances and planning long-term needs.

“Amid economic dynamics, price certainty can serve as an important foundation for the community to remain confident in meeting daily needs and running businesses,” she concluded.