YLKI asserts fortified rice mislabeling violates consumer rights
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) maintains that fortified rice with contents that do not match its label violates consumer rights and could potentially be processed through criminal law if violations of applicable regulations are proven.
“Referring to the principles of consumer protection, this is certainly a violation of consumer rights by business actors,” said YLKI Chairperson Niti Emiliana when confirmed in Jakarta on Saturday.
She made this statement in response to findings by the National Food Agency (Bapanas), together with the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) and the Food Task Force, regarding 25 brands of fortified rice suspected of not meeting the standards and contents listed on their labels, potentially causing losses to consumers worth approximately Rp89 trillion.
In response, YLKI is urging the government to conduct further investigations and release information to the public to ensure that citizens receive products as promised.
She stated that consumers have the right to receive true, clear, and honest information regarding the products they purchase. Therefore, if the rice content does not match the fortification claims on the label, business actors can be considered in violation of consumer protection regulations.
“Consumers need to receive the right to true, clear, and honest information, and also to receive products as promised,” said Niti.
She highlighted the findings of suspected fortified rice that, after laboratory testing, did not possess the contents specified on the label.
According to her, this issue cannot be viewed merely as an administrative discrepancy, as the information on the packaging serves as the basis for consumers when making purchasing decisions.
She noted that such provisions are specifically regulated under Article 8 of the Consumer Protection Law, which governs prohibited acts for business actors.
She explained that referring to Article 8 of the Consumer Protection Law, business actors are prohibited from producing or trading products that do not comply with the etiquette, labels, or benefits promised to consumers.
“Business actors are prohibited from producing or trading products that do not match what is promised based on the etiquette, label, and the benefits that serve as a guarantee for consumers,” she explained.
Niti emphasised that the suspected discrepancy in fortified rice content could enter the criminal realm if investigations prove elements of intent and violations of applicable laws and regulations.
YLKI supports the steps taken by the National Police Food Task Force, alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant ministries and agencies, to investigate the alleged violations and ensure proof through the legal process.
According to Niti, government oversight is crucial because the public lacks the ability to prove the nutritional content of fortified rice without adequate laboratory testing.
She explained that oversight both before and after products enter circulation needs to be strengthened so that the limitations of consumers in verifying food content can be balanced by effective and sustainable government supervision.
This situation has resulted in consumer complaints being largely related to higher rice prices and discrepancies in fortification information printed on packaging.
According to Niti, consumers lack the ability to ensure the promised nutritional content, leading to confusion when encountering differences in price and information across various brands of fortified rice.
She assessed that consumers are willing to pay higher prices because they trust the information on the packaging; therefore, discrepancies in content have the potential to cause economic loss while eliminating the promised benefits.
Niti emphasised that the losses resulting from the alleged violations could affect all consumers regardless of region or economic status, as consumer protection rights apply to everyone.
YLKI is urging the government to take firm action against business actors proven to be in violation to prevent consumer loss, and is calling for strengthened food supervision to ensure products meet standards and packaging information is accurate.