The Dangers of Overbuying During Ramadhan: From Wallet Depletion to Food Waste Accumulation

During Ramadhan, Muslims are trained to restrain their desires, not only from eating and drinking, but also from excessive behaviour. In practice, however, the challenge often manifests itself in unconscious consumptive behaviour, one example being overbuying.

Prof Megawati Simanjuntak, a consumer behaviour expert at IPB University, argues that Ramadhan is frequently a vulnerable period for overbuying because many business operators offer substantial promotions and discounts. According to her, excessive shopping directly contradicts the essence of fasting, which fundamentally teaches simplicity.

“Overbuying is the behaviour of purchasing goods or services excessively without considering actual needs. This behaviour frequently occurs during Ramadhan and mostly brings negative consequences,” she said in a written statement.

She cited the most common consumptive behaviour as occurring near breaking-of-fast time. Various dishes are prepared excessively, ranging from heavy meals to assorted traditional snacks such as fried foods, fruit compote, shaved ice, and dates. Ultimately, a significant quantity of food ends up as waste.

“Often, the food available on the breaking-of-fast table far exceeds what the body requires. This is detrimental, both from a health perspective and in terms of household expenditure,” she said.

Prof Megawati explained that hunger after a full day of fasting often triggers what is termed “eye hunger”. The desire to purchase large quantities of food emerges not from necessity, but from momentary emotional impulses.