Indicator Survey: Public Increasingly Feels Basic Goods Prices Are Becoming Less Affordable

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indikator Politik Indonesia has revealed that more and more people feel that the prices of essential goods are becoming less affordable.

In the Indikator Politik Indonesia survey conducted in April 2026, 54.6 per cent of respondents said that the prices of essential goods are less affordable now than a year ago.

In detail, 16.2 per cent described them as much less affordable and 38.4 per cent as less affordable. Meanwhile, 31.7 per cent of respondents judged that there had been no change.

Those who felt that the prices of essential goods were more affordable accounted for only 12.8 per cent, consisting of 11.4 per cent who said they were more affordable and 1.4 per cent who said they were much more affordable.

“Thus, the longer it goes, the more the public feel that the prices of essential goods are becoming less affordable. If this is not addressed promptly, I fear it could become a ticking time bomb,” he said at the Economic Forum 2026 at Kempinski, Jakarta, on Tuesday (19 May 2026).

He further explained that the majority of respondents who felt essential goods were becoming harder to reach attributed this to price increases alongside declines in household income.

“Including around 40 per cent of them who said that staple prices now rising is due to the pressure of two factors,” he added.

He further noted that the situation aligns with survey findings showing that economic issues are now the public’s main concern compared with political issues.

Meanwhile, public perception of the political condition is heavily influenced by the everyday perceived economic situation.

In recent months, public positivity about the national economy has begun to decline.

“The most important thing for the government to understand is that political conditions are heavily determined by economic perception. So the economy matters more than politics. Therefore, if economic issues are not addressed promptly, it could become a ticking time bomb and political sentiment could also decline,” he said.