Indonesian govt targets consumer law revision talks this year

Trade Ministry Consumer Protection and Trade Order Director General Moga Simatupang said Tuesday the revision remained underway and had not reached a final decision.

“The Consumer Protection Law has not received any updates from the Legislative Body because this is a House initiative. We hope it will be discussed this year,” Simatupang said.

He said the draft remained under revision and details could not yet be disclosed, but recent discussions had focused on protecting vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities and older people.

“Several aspects continue to develop. The latest concerns people with disabilities and older people. The revision remains very dynamic,” he said.

In April, Trade Minister Budi Santoso proposed updating the Consumer Protection Law to Commission III of the Regional Representative Council (DPD).

Santoso presented the ministry’s evaluation of the 1999 law, which has been in effect for nearly three decades. He said a new law was needed to reflect current conditions.

“The law’s nearly 27-year existence has revealed weaknesses in language, structure, dispute resolution, institutions and implementation,” he said.

He said rapid e-commerce growth had created new problems, including scams, illegal online lending, counterfeit goods, misleading advertisements and manipulative dark patterns that harm consumers.

Indonesia’s 2025 National Consumer Empowerment Index stood at 63.44 points, up from 60.11 in 2024, placing consumers in the critical category.

Online transactions accounted for 35,820, or 94.73 percent, of 37,813 consumer complaints received from 2021 through March 2026, while offline transactions accounted for 1,993.

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Translator: Maria, Kenzu