National Consumer Day in Indonesia Date in the current year: April 20, 2024

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a consumer is “a person who buys goods and services for their own use”. This definition implies that consumers have existed for as long as money has existed, probably even longer because barter trade is also a form of trade. However, the concepts of consumer rights and consumer protection are relatively recent.

Although mentions of primitive forms of consumer protection can be found throughout history, consumers had limited rights with regard to their ability to protect themselves from subpar products and services and unfair business practices until the mid-20th century. Basic consumer rights were first formulated in the Consumer Bill of Rights, a speech presented by President John F. Kennedy to Congress on March 15, 1962. Since then, many countries have adopted consumer protection laws.

The ultimate goal of consumer protection in Indonesia is to combat unfair business practices by forcing entrepreneurs to a more responsible and honest attitude. According to the Law on Consumer Protection, consumer protection in Indonesia is based on the following principles:

• The principle of benefit.
• The principle of justice.
• The principle of balance.
• The principle of consumer security and safety.
• The principle of legal certainty.

According to these principles, consumers and entrepreneurs are equal before the law. Both parties have their rights and obligations; they both must obey the law and have equal justice under law.

In addition to the 1999 Law on Consumer Protection, consumer protection in Indonesia and the relationship between consumers, entrepreneurs and the Indonesian government are regulated by Constitution of Indonesia, the Law on Anti-Monopoly Practice and Unfair Business Competition, the Law on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution, and a number of other legal documents.

In 2017, Indonesia adopted the National Strategy of Consumer Protection consisting of three main pillars: improving the effectiveness of government consumer protection institutions, empowering consumers through enhancing consumer education and providing access to relevant resources, and improving business compliance in nine priority sectors (food & drugs, housing, health services, transportation services, electricity & gas, e-commerce, telecommunication services, financial services, and electronics, telematics & motor vehicles).

Indonesia’s National Consumer Day was established by a 2012 presidential decree. Its date was chosen to commemorate the Law on Consumer Protection that was adopted on April 20, 1999 and came into force a year later. Like most other observances in Indonesia established by a presidential decree, it is not a non-working holiday.

Indonesia isn’t the only country that has a national day dedicated to consumer rights protection. For example, Consumer Protection Day is observed in Thailand on April 30, and Indians celebrate National Consumer Rights Day on December 24.