Health Ministry Stresses Child Protection as Basis for Plain Packaging Rules

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has stressed that the drafting of a Ministerial Regulation on the inclusion of health warnings and information on tobacco and electronic cigarette products is being carried out transparently and involves various stakeholders. The ministry’s Acting Director General of Disease Control, Dr Andi Saguni, stated that all input received during the regulatory drafting process has been taken into consideration by the government. “However, in principle, health policy must prioritise the protection of the public, especially children, from the risk of addiction and the harmful effects of tobacco consumption,” said Andi Saguni in a written statement on Tuesday, 16 June 2026. According to the ministry, the protection of public health, particularly that of children and adolescents, is the primary basis for drafting the regulation. As such, the government is continuing discussions on the draft rules governing the inclusion of health warnings and information on tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The ministry’s statement has drawn responses from several business actors and trade associations. They assess that the plan to implement plain packaging could impact the retail sector and small businesses that depend on cigarette sales. The Chairman of the Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo), Solihin, stated that the tobacco sector contributes significantly to retail revenue. He believes the plain packaging policy could affect the income of downstream businesses. A similar view was expressed by several trader organisations. The Chairman of the Indonesian Street Vendors Association (APKLI), Ali Mahsum Atmo, assessed that the regulation could suppress the turnover of small traders, including street vendors and kiosk owners. Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Cooperatives Association (Akrindo), Anang Zunaedi, said cigarette sales contribute around 20 to 30 per cent of total turnover for many traders. He therefore urged the government to consider the policy’s impact on micro-enterprises and retailers. The Chairman of the Indonesian Grocers Association (PPKSI), Junaedi, also noted that cigarette sales are linked to the sale of other products in grocery stores. He argued that a decline in cigarette sales could affect the sale of other items purchased simultaneously by consumers.