Price Surge in Plastic Sparks Customer Protests to Vendors Leading to Cancellations

JAKARTA - Several plastic vendors admit to frequently receiving complaints from customers due to the recent surge in plastic prices.

One plastic trader at Pasar Bukit Duri in South Jakarta, Eci, said the price increase has led some customers to delay their purchases.

“There are definitely customers who protest, and even those who usually buy directly here, when they find out the price has gone up, they say ‘later’ and don’t buy immediately; they might want to check prices elsewhere first,” Eci explained when interviewed by Kompas.com on Wednesday (18/3/2026).

Eci admitted she cannot yet lower the selling price of plastic because her capital costs have also risen.

“It’s almost all types of plastic whose prices have increased: polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) bags, thinwall, everything,” she clarified.

For thinwall size 650 ml, which previously cost Rp 27,000 for 25 pieces, it is now Rp 30,000.

Then, white Polo kresek plastic bags have risen from Rp 12,000 to Rp 15,000 per pack.

Another trader, Bintang (19), also admitted to often receiving complaints from customers regarding the price increase.

He stated that he cannot yet lower the selling price because the supplier prices remain high.