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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN

INDONESIA
Euromonitor International
July 2014

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

LIST OF CONTENTS AND TABLES


Top Five Consumer Trends .......................................................................................................... 1
Consumer Segmentation .............................................................................................................. 3
Babies and Infants .................................................................................................................... 3
Kids........................................................................................................................................... 5
Tweenagers .............................................................................................................................. 6
Teens........................................................................................................................................ 7
Young Adults ............................................................................................................................ 9
Middle Youth ........................................................................................................................... 10
Mid-lifers ................................................................................................................................. 12
Late-lifers ................................................................................................................................ 14
Table 1
Chart 1

Consumer Segmentation and Population Data 2000, 2005, 2011,


2012, 2013, 2016 ....................................................................................... 15
Population Aged 15-64 Compared with Old-Age Dependency Ratio
2000-2020 .................................................................................................. 15

Housing and Households ........................................................................................................... 16


Home Ownership .................................................................................................................... 16
Household Profiles.................................................................................................................. 18
Running Costs ........................................................................................................................ 18
Table 2
Chart 2

Housing and Households Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ........ 19
Number of Households by Disposable Income Bracket 2005, 2010,
2016 ........................................................................................................... 20

Money and Savings .................................................................................................................... 21


Attitudes Toward Payment Methods ....................................................................................... 21
Savings ................................................................................................................................... 22
Loans and Mortgages ............................................................................................................. 22
Table 3
Chart 3

Money and Savings Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ................. 23
Consumer Lending Compared with Savings and Savings Ratio 20002016 ........................................................................................................... 24

Eating and Drinking .................................................................................................................... 24


Eating Habits .......................................................................................................................... 24
Drinking Habits ....................................................................................................................... 26
Table 4
Chart 4

Eating and Drinking Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ................. 26
Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth
in Consumer Expenditure on Food and Alcoholic Drinks 2000-2016 ......... 27

Grooming and Fashion ............................................................................................................... 27


Perceptions of Beauty............................................................................................................. 28
Female Grooming ................................................................................................................... 28
Male Grooming ....................................................................................................................... 30
Fashion Trends ....................................................................................................................... 30
Table 5
Chart 5

Grooming and Fashion Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ............ 32
Chart: Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real
Growth in Consumer Expenditure on Clothing, Footwear and
Personal Care 2000-2016 .......................................................................... 33

Health and Wellness .................................................................................................................. 33

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Attitudes To Health and Well-being ........................................................................................ 33


Obesity ................................................................................................................................... 34
Attitudes To Smoking.............................................................................................................. 35
Table 6
Chart 6

Health and Wellness Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ............... 36
Real Growth in Public and Private Expenditure on Health Compared
with Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth 2000-2013 ....................................... 37

Shopping Habits ......................................................................................................................... 37


Main Household Shop ............................................................................................................ 37
Shopping for Big-ticket Items .................................................................................................. 38
Personal Shopping ................................................................................................................. 39
Shopping Online ..................................................................................................................... 39
Table 7
Chart 7

Shopping Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ................................. 40


Index of Retail Sales through Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and
Internet Retailing 2000-2016 ...................................................................... 41

Leisure and Recreation .............................................................................................................. 42


Staying in ................................................................................................................................ 42
Going Out ............................................................................................................................... 43
Sport and Fitness.................................................................................................................... 45
Vacations ................................................................................................................................ 46
Public Holidays, Celebrations and Gift-giving ......................................................................... 47
Table 8
Chart 8

Leisure and Recreation Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ........... 47
Percentage of Households in Possession of Cable TV; Satellite TV
System; Internet Enabled Computer; Mobile Telephone; Video
Games Console 2000-2016 ....................................................................... 48

Getting Around ........................................................................................................................... 48


Private Transport .................................................................................................................... 49
Public Transport...................................................................................................................... 49
Commuting ............................................................................................................................. 49
Air Travel ................................................................................................................................ 50
Table 9
Chart 9

Transport Data: 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 ................................ 50


Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth
in Consumer Expenditure on Transport Services and Purchase of
Cars, Motorcycles and other Vehicles 2000-2016 ...................................... 51

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN
INDONESIA
TOP FIVE CONSUMER TRENDS
Apartment living is a new lifestyle choice for young couples
Living in vertical housing is becoming inevitable in major Indonesian cities. The perfect picture
for many newlyweds has always been to raise a family in a spacious house of their own with a
small garden in a friendly neighbourhood. Most newlyweds or young couples would rather buy a
house far away from city centres where they work and sacrifice around three hours a day to
commuting back and forth. As these houses are increasingly far from city centres and people in
major cities want a more efficient lifestyle, more young couples are changing their perfect
picture, from a 100-square-metre house to a 40-square-metre apartment. The switch to
apartments is more apparent among young urbanite couples who choose to delay having
children or have just one child.
In January 2014, the Executive Director of Indonesia Property Watch explained that more
Indonesians living in major cities must now live in vertical living spaces or apartments. Not only
will it become necessary, as it provides good quality living at an affordable price, but it will
become the norm. It is projected that more young couples will start their families in apartments.
According to Anton Sitorus, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle Indonesia, sales of
apartments in 2013 were likely to break the record and be much higher than in 2012. He
explained that the highest growth will affect mid-class apartments, which are affordable for many
young urbanite couples.
Consumers living in apartments require different interior design, compact furniture and home
appliances. Most urbanite young couples also have a more sophisticated taste for interior
design, resulting in growing demand for interior design services. Mega Sari, a young mom who
just finished furnishing her small apartment, revealed that furnishing her apartment emptied her
pockets. Tata Furniture, a website that offers furniture for apartments, receives many questions
from people, such as price estimations for furnishing one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments.
Another challenge is how to design a small space on an affordable budget so that it looks and
feels neat and spacious.
More discretionary spending by the middle class
Indonesias economy has been growing constantly at above 5% per year. As a result, income
levels have grown. Indonesias burgeoning middle class comprised 27.6% of households in
2011, or 17.1 million households. These consumers look to buy goods and services beyond
basic needs. Indonesias emerging middle class has proven to be a huge engine of
consumption. Consumer spending is an important driver of the economy, accounting for 56% of
GDP in 2013. In addition, the significant increase in the monthly minimum wage in 2013 helped
boost consumer confidence amongst low-income earners. The minimum wage is decided by
province and usually increases every year. Among the 33 provinces, 25 provinces recorded
double-digit growth in their minimum wage levels in 2013, with many recording a 20% increase.
In Jakarta, for example, the minimum wage level was Rp1.53 million (US$127) in 2011; it
increased by more than 40% to reach Rp2.2 million (US$183.3) in 2013. Minimum wage levels
across the 33 provinces are expected to increase further in 2014, with many aiming for doubledigit growth again.

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According to Dharmmesta Swastha Basu, professor of Marketing at the Faculty of Economics


and Business Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, marketers should not sleep. The
behaviours of middle-class consumers are very easy to change; they can quickly change
brands. They aspire towards cool brands but always consider lower-priced options. Because
they always look for better options, they want to be updated and well informed. Young middleclass consumers have typically just made it in life. Many feel that having internet access is a
necessity in their daily lives, spending around Rp50,000 (US$4.17) to Rp100,000 (US$8.3) for
an internet connection every month. They also like to visit places with free internet access
where they can use their tablets, laptops and smartphones.
Tired of getting stuck in traffic jams on their motorcycles in polluted streets on weekdays,
middle-class consumers are buying their first cars. Not only do they want to show their status,
but they want to provide better travel quality for their family. The Toyota Avanza and the
Daihatsu Xenia, costing between Rp140 million and Rp160 million, have been the most popular
cars for middle-income consumers as they are affordable and stylish enough. The Avanza and
Xenia were launched to meet the demand for affordable cars, priced at no more than Rp100
million in 2005. Since their price is expected to reach Rp180 million in 2014, middle-income
consumers are looking for cheaper options. In late 2013, low-cost green cars (LCGC) (cheap
cars) were launched. They are expected to meet the demand for cheap cars.
The rapid growth of online shopping
Online shopping is continuously growing. In 2013, internet retailing amounted to Rp93,100 per
household; this is expected to reach Rp146,900 in 2016. The growth can be linked to the growth
in GDP. However, the online payment infrastructure is weak: 70% of online shopping
transactions in Indonesia are still paid by money transfer, from customers bank accounts into
sellers accounts; only 30% of transactions rely on credit cards and other means of e-payments.
Money transfers and cash on delivery are the preferred payment methods, which are trusted by
Indonesian consumers. Many Indonesians need to have a physical proof of payment in their
hands or do not feel safe paying online, especially using credit cards.
Online shopping is expected to grow rapidly, as more people shop online. Popular items
bought online include clothes, shoes and bags. Online shops offer a range of payment methods
to appeal to consumers.
As internet access from home is slow and expensive, online shopping is done during office
hours. An increasing number of white-collar workers buy clothes, gadgets and airline tickets
using their employers PCs. But the rise of cheap smartphones and tablets that sell for less than
US$100 is rapidly broadening internet access, despite significant challenges due to poor
infrastructure and payment systems. Were seeing phenomenal growth in mobile transactions,
stated Rio Inaba, CEO of Rakuten, adding that order volumes and revenues from Rakutens
online marketplace in Indonesia are more than doubling every year, led by the demand for
gadgets, fashion accessories and toys. Furthermore, Ellyana Fuad, Indonesia chief executive
for credit card company Visa, explained that the worlds fourth most populous nation is
approaching a big bang for e-commerce, as the number of internet users is expected to double
to 125 million by 2017 and smartphone ownership rises from 20% to 52% in the same period.
Desire for healthier lifestyles drives demand for more fresh and organic food
Given their growing income, Indonesian consumers have more time and money to pursue
secondary needs. As the awareness of healthier lifestyles grows, especially among high-income
consumers, the demand for healthier products and activities continues to increase. According to
a survey by AIA Insurance in 2013, 84% of people take care of their health in order to feel
better, 71% does so to avoid falling sick, 60% to stay fit, 36% to have more energy, 22% to live
as long as possible and 14% to improve their physical looks. Only 8% admits that they do it to

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follow the trend and 2% does it because their doctors ordered them to do so. About 71% of
Indonesians feel that their health is not as good as it was 5 years ago; interestingly, 58% of
Indonesians aged below 30 feel that their health is not as good as it was 5 years ago.
Indonesian consumers, especially those on high incomes, have been looking for ways to
improve their health. Many believe that it can be achieved through healthy eating and stress
avoidance, among others. Many Indonesians on high incomes are consuming more organic
food and more fruits and vegetables. In order to meet the demand, upscale supermarkets, such
as Kem Chicks, Food Hall and Ranch Market, sell healthier but pricier products. Even
hypermarkets, such as Carrefour, which target the mass market, carry many healthier products,
such as organic fruits, vegetables and rice. Consumers on high incomes who are looking for
ready-to-eat meals are starting to try catering services selling healthy food and organic
restaurants.
Sports and exercise is appealing to middle- and high-income consumers. Over the last 5-6
years, more consumers have adopted regular fitness and gym habits. Large fitness chain
Fitness First Jakarta has attracted around 30,000 members since 2005. Celebrity Fitness, the
largest fitness chain in Indonesia, has attracted around 50,000 members since 2004. Celebrity
Fitness notes that everyday around 10,000 people go to their 26 gyms across Indonesia.
Senior citizens work longer
The number of people aged 60 years-old and older has grown steadily, going from nearly 17.6
million (7.7% of the total population) in 2005 to 21.5 million (8.7%) in 2013. Their numbers
are projected to grow even more quickly in coming years, reaching 24.1 million (9.5%) in 2016.
This trend will have an impact on a wide range of consumers, including members of families
who are the primary caregivers for elderly citizens. Owing to the lack of state financial and
health support, most senior Indonesians will have to rely on their relatives. But with many grown
children moving to tiny apartments in the city to seek work, there are increasingly fewer
opportunities to live as an extended family.
In many other cases, seniors will find that they must simply work longer to fund their living
expenses. With the old-age dependency ratio due to reach 8.98% in 2016 (up from 8.52% in
2013) it is likely that government agencies will struggle to provide adequate services to this
segment of the population.

CONSUMER SEGMENTATION
Babies and Infants
The number of babies and infants has declined since 2005 when the number was nearly 13.7
to reach 12.4 million in 2013. This number is expected to continue to decline to reach 12.3
million in 2016. This is a result of more Indonesians are getting married and having children later
in their lives. This is much more apparent in cities than in rural areas. Young people who live in
cities are much more driven to pursue material success, reflected in their jobs, cars or personal
grooming. Given intense work and commuting pressures in cities, getting married and having a
baby become lesser priorities. In addition, once couples decide to have children, two children or
even one child is becoming the norm.
Most middle- to high-income households can afford to pay for assistance to help take care of
the house. Many young couples leave their children with their parents or with nannies. Until
recently, parents were hardly familiar with the concept of child or day care. Nowadays, it has
become more difficult to keep a reliable nanny/housekeeper for more than two years. Work life
balance is only a possibility for a few fortunate people who are aware of the concept and have
the resources to achieve it. Most young adults strive to build their careers and work very hard.

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Time becomes a scarce resource for people working in cities, which makes it even more difficult
to raise a child.
Most parents do not send their babies or infants to pre-school until they are three or four
years of age. Yet, a growing number of affluent parents send their babies or infants to preschool activities once or twice a week. Parents want their children to practice their motor and
social skills at an early age as a preparation for a better future.
Cloth diapers making a come-back
Traditionally, cloth diapers consisted of a thin folded square of cotton cloth, which was
fastened by tying both ends together. This kind of diaper was used by most Indonesians and
called popok kain. It was reusable but forced parents to change the diaper very frequently,
which could be 10 to 20 times a day. These diapers had to be laundered on a daily basis and so
were very time consuming. Most Indonesians used cloth diapers until the introduction of
disposable diapers in the 1990s. Working moms on higher incomes quickly adopted disposable
diapers, usually referred to as Pampers in Indonesia. Although they cost more, they offered a
practical solution. Currently, most parents use disposable diapers.
However, more recently, many mothers have been trying a new kind of cloth diaper, referred
to as clodi, already common in other countries. Indonesians started to learn about it about
three years ago. The two most important factors driving the adoption of clodi are health and
money. There is a perception that disposable diapers are not very good for the babys skin.
Some mothers believe that the synthetic materials in mass-produced disposable diapers cause
baby rash, among others. One mother wrote in her blog that she was determined to never use
disposable diapers for her baby. Until now, the use of clodi only reached a small group of
mothers who are typically well educated, critical minded and willing to spend a little more time to
look after the clodi. This alternative is likely to become a preferred option once more consumers
learn how to use them and realise how it can actually save a lot of money. One consumer
calculated that the use of clodi can actually save millions of Rupiah over three years. In addition,
consumers view the clodi as more environmentally friendly and as being more comfortable for
the baby and find it not very difficult to use.
Home-made baby food
Steel strainer, baby spoon, blender, breast pump, and steamer are among the equipment
listed by one mother to prepare home-made baby food for her six-month-old baby. She started
to feed her baby puree made from spinach that her mother-in-law grew in the backyard. Having
learnt from books and experts through online sources, she knows that babies need a high intake
of iron, in the form of protein, food supplements or spinach. The latter was the best option for
her since it grew in her backyard and she believes that it can help her baby become familiar with
vegetables. She adds some freshly squeezed orange juice in the puree because she learnt that
iron is digested much better when accompanied with vitamin C.
Striving for the gold standard when feeding their babies, many well-educated consumers
make their own baby food using the best possible ingredients. Not all have their own vegetable
and fruit garden, but they try to buy organic vegetables and fruits from supermarkets. They also
learn from books, magazines, online resources, friends and seminars. A popular online source
is the website MPASI Rumahan, founded by Dian Prima Zahrial. It is the extension of a mailing
list that supported a community of hundreds of Indonesian mothers. From the regular
discussions, books were written, seminars and events were held and thousands of mothers
were educated. The discussions were on baby food, known as MPASI (makanan pendamping
air susu ibu), translated as food accompanying breastfeeding.
Many Indonesian mothers preferred baby formula milk ten years ago; breastfeeding became
popular again just five years ago. Even when they breastfed their babies, mothers used to think

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that it needed to be complemented by baby formula milk and instant baby food. Around five
years ago, the government launched a campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding for babies
until they reach six months. The move was applauded by many health experts who have long
promoted the importance of breastfeeding and home-made baby food, compared to baby
formula milk and instant baby food.

Kids
The number of kids (aged 3-8) was 25.9 in 2013 a small increase from the 25.7 million in
2005 as more young people delay getting married and having children.
Indonesians living in cities usually start sending their children to formal education institutions
earlier than those living in rural areas. It is common for kids aged three years to go to playgroup
and then to kindergarten for another two years before enrolling in elementary school. Public
elementary schools require pupils to be seven years old to start school, while many private
elementary schools settle for six years of age. Most kindergartens have school uniforms, which
differ from one school to another. The uniform for public elementary school consists of white
shirts with red shorts for boys and red skirts for girls. Private elementary schools usually choose
different uniform colours to differentiate themselves from public schools.
Most parents strive to send their children to private elementary schools, which cost more. Due
to the costs, only parents on middle and high incomes can afford to do so. Parents perceive
most private elementary schools as providing better quality of learning and having much better
facilities than the public ones. Many private elementary schools hold tests to select students and
usually require that they are able to read and write. The competition for popular schools can be
tight and, in some cases, children are put on long waiting lists. Most public elementary schools
do not require the ability to read and write as it is the responsibility of teachers in first grade to
teach children to read and write. In order to prepare their children for elementary school, many
parents make their children take extra lessons, such as reading, writing and basic math.
Kids aged 3-5 attend kindergarten almost every day, typically from 7.30 or 8am until 10.30 or
11am. Kids aged 6-8 attend elementary school, typically from 7 or 7.30am until 12. They are
usually dropped and picked up by their parents, grandparents or nannies. It is becoming rare for
older kids in this group to go to school by themselves for safety reasons. Once they arrive home
from school, they have lunch and some parents make them take a nap. Like everyone else, kids
shower twice a day and take their second shower before sunset (Magrib). The most favourite
pastime for kids is playing with friends and neighbours. Children aged 3-4 usually stay at home
more as they are not considered old enough to play by themselves unless their older siblings
are playing with them. All outdoor activities must end before sunset or the fourth Islam prayer
(Magrib), which is around 6pm.
Kids often ask their parents for toys and snacks. Parents usually allocate a daily allowance for
snacking while toys are bought only when there is money leftover. Parents always prioritise food
and school needs in their budget over toys. Books have become the preferred items to buy,
compared to toys. Yet, affluent parents buy their kids almost everything they ask for. This can
include a wide range of toys, often based on popular movies and cartoon characters. Popular
characters have been Angry Birds, Paddle Pop ice cream characters and Sofia the First. Kids
birthday parties have become more popular among kids and parents, especially in urban areas.
Kids have become very familiar with computers, tablets and smartphones, but most parents do
not buy them for their kids yet. A growing number of parents, however, are buying mobile
phones for their kids once they enter elementary school in order to keep track of their childrens
activities and whereabouts.

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Healthier Snacking
Most schools do not have a decent cafeteria that offers healthy food; some do not have a
cafeteria at all. Consequently, most kids buy snacks, which are mostly unhealthy. A survey by
the Indonesian food and drug administrator in 2008 found that 99% of children aged 6-12 buy
snacks. The snacking habit is called jajan in Indonesia. Children snack at school or at home
and buy very cheap snacks from street vendors. Mothers major concern is the quality of the
snacks that their children buy, and some snacks are even seen as dangerous. Despite the
concern, most parents do little to change the habit. It is difficult for parents to persuade their
children. Providing healthier snacks is perceived as more expensive and time consuming, and it
is almost impossible not to have street vendors near the kids. Only some expensive private
schools prohibit kids from snacking outside the school.
Parents do not want to stop their children from snacking because they need to eat, but they
want their children to eat healthy and tasty snacks. Moreover, they want snacks that are easy to
prepare and affordable. Five- or fifteen-minute snack preparation has been adopted by some
mothers. One mother prepares a weekly list of snacks for her son in kindergarten that she can
prepare ahead of time. These snacks are foods that her son likes; they are easy to prepare and
healthy enough. Bread, milk and home-made chicken nuggets are regular snacks. She admits
that she is looking to prepare healthier foods, but at least the snacks are better than the usual
snacks offered by street vendors at school. She wants to learn how to make bento rice once her
son goes to elementary school in several months time. Bento rice is one of the most popular
snacks for kids to bring to school because it is healthy and looks very appealing. No matter how
healthy or expensive the snacks are, if the child does not find them appealing, he or she will not
eat much of them. Some mothers are pushing their kids to take home-made snacks rather than
buying them and believe that the best way is to make them appealing for their children.

Tweenagers
The number of children aged 9-12 has remained fairly stable, reaching 17.3 million in 2005
and 17.6 million in 2013. This number is expected to decrease slightly to just under 17.5 million
in 2016. Children aged 9-12 are at the final stage of elementary school. Many children at that
age are given their first phone or smartphone. They also explore with social media and mobile
applications, set up their first Facebook account and download mobile applications. The main
purpose is to communicate with their friends, as well as entertainment.
Tweenagers are still in elementary school and go to school every day, mostly with their
parents or an adult. School typically starts from 6.30 or 7am until 12 or 2pm if extra lessons are
taken. They are active and have activities outside the home. Many take part in extracurricular
activities at school or elsewhere. Sports, such as football, futsal, martial arts (karate, taekwondo
and silat), swimming, basketball and tennis, are popular choices. In recent years, many
tweenagers in urban areas have become familiar with new activities and classes, such as
drama/acting, singing, painting and even movie making.
Tweenagers are usually given a daily or weekly allowance, which they can spend or save.
They usually spend their money on snacks, food, clothes, shoes and accessories. They are
starting to become aware of the fashion trends that their idols and friends are adopting.
Their idols include popular singers Coboy Junior, a local boy-band aged 12-14 years, and
Cherrybelle, a local girl group inspired by Korean pop stars. Popular athletes include football
stars, such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cooler birthday celebrations
Tweenagers aged 9 or 10 like to decide on their own birthday celebration, especially those
with parents on high incomes. One mother stated that after reaching third grade, at the age of
nine, her daughter did not want the same kind of birthday celebration anymore. Now, her

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daughter wants to discuss and decide on how her birthday will be celebrated. She only wants to
invite her closest friends. For her 9th birthday, her daughter planned a movie party. At the
theatre, they chose their own movie, sat in a private room and had the theatre all to themselves
while enjoying the food they had ordered. The tweenagers experienced something cool that they
could brag about at school.
Themed parties have become highly popular with cooking, going to a sports hall, having a
photo session or making something to take home being the most in demand.
Yoga and relaxing activities for busy Tweenagers
For tweenagers, normal after-school activities include extra lessons related to school
subjects, such as math and English, and sports, such as swimming and futsal. According to an
article on temantakita.com, a website aimed at developing childrens talents, a shift in how
parents view extra-curricular classes has started. In the past, most parents viewed their children
as empty bottles that had to be filled with as many activities and as much knowledge as
possible. Many children became tired and bored with all the activities. Many parents in major
cities still push their children to take extra-curricular classes but are starting to take a different
view. Some parents see their children as having potential that must be cultivated; therefore,
classes must not only relate to school subjects. Music, arts, sports and other types that are
more aligned with childrens interests are becoming popular. In 2013, the most popular classes
were yoga classes for children.
Moreover, for children in affluent families living in cities, going out to play in the
neighbourhood is rare. Their parents prefer to keep them indoors for safety and practical
reasons. Many young parents in Jakarta have started to practice yoga regularly and have
decided to enroll their kids to do the same.

Teens
As in all younger segments, the number of teens (aged 13-17) has slightly declined. There
were nearly 21.9 million teens in 2005 and 21.1 million in 2013. However, this number is
expected to increase slightly, to reach 21.6 million in 2016.
Young teens typically go to junior high school, while older teens aged 15-17 go to high school.
The norm in most schools is to wear uniforms. Public junior high schools require white shirts and
dark blue shorts for boys and dark blue skirts for girls. Islamic junior high and high schools
require hijabs for girls and trousers for boys. Public high-school uniforms consist of white shirts
with grey trousers for boys and long grey skirts for girls. Most private schools adopt similar
uniform styles. At elementary-school level, private schools are perceived to be better than most
public schools. Yet, parents perceive that public high schools are better than most private high
schools. The cost is much lower in public schools, but parents may have to fight for a spot in
competitive public high schools.
Most students who go to private school are driven to school, while students going to public
school usually commute by public transport. The trip to school usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes by
bus or angkot (minibus). The cost to commute each day is usually between Rp6,000 and
Rp12,000 (US$1). Most schools start at around 6.30am or 7am, and teenagers must get up
early to arrive on time. They go home around noon or 2pm if they have extra lessons. Most
children in public schools go to school from Monday to Saturday. Most private schools have
Saturdays off. The government in some cities has started to provide a few school buses.
Most teenagers in Indonesia have not earned their own money yet and still depend on the
allowance from their parents. Although many of the buying decisions that teenagers make are
limited to their allowance, their influence on purchasing decisions has increased. Nowadays,
teenagers often propose products and brands for their parents to evaluate. Teenagers regularly
support their proposals with well-informed research. This is more apparent for fashion products,

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cosmetics and vacations. Today, teenagers are perceived as more knowledgeable and
informed; therefore, they are given more autonomy in deciding which products and brands to
buy.
Recent research by the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology and UNICEF
concluded that 80% of young Indonesians aged 11-19 use the internet. However, this number is
close to 100% in more developed areas, such as Jakarta, Banten and Yogyakarta, while in
North Maluku and West Papua it barely reaches 33%. Most have been accessing the internet
for more than a year - 69% using personal computers, 52% using mobile phones, 34% laptops,
21% smartphones and only 4% tablets. The main motives for accessing the internet are looking
for information, connecting with friends and entertainment. Aside from curiosity, searching for
information is also driven by school assignments that require online research. Teenagers
download or upload files, such as free videos, movies, songs and books.
Teenagers often start to drive, and motorcycles are the most popular vehicles because they
are affordable. Many teenagers want to drive or ride but do not feel the need to get a driving
licence. This is more apparent for motorcycle riders than car drivers. Although the legal age for
riding a motorcycle is 16 and 17 for driving a car, many teenagers drive for the first time a
couple of years earlier. Riding a motorcycle to high school is becoming more common, not only
for boys but also for an increasing number of girls. Teenagers ride a motorcycle to school for
social reasons: wanting to be seen as one of the cool kids in high school. Economic reasons
have become more relevant for many teenagers. The cost of riding a motorcycle is cheaper than
taking the bus or angkot (minibus). Moreover, it is faster and saves time in traffic in major cities.
A bus or angkot (minibus) ride costing Rp6,000 to Rp12,000 per day can take 30 to 45 minutes.
The same trip, riding a motorcycle, costs just Rp2,000 for the gasoline and takes half the time.
Unfortunately, the safety aspect is neglected by most teenagers. In addition to not having a
driving licence, most teenagers do not wear helmets when they ride motorcycles as they do not
go far. Crossing red lights and reckless riding is very common as well.
Although Indonesians are not known for loving sports, most boys play a sport regularly. Girls,
on the other hand, seldom play a sport regularly. Football and futsal remain the most popular
sports for boys. Martial arts, basketball, volleyball and badminton are other popular sports in
schools. Some teenagers have the luxury to explore other activities, such as softball, boxing,
singing and dancing.
Music, movies and fashion are a huge part of teenagers life. Most teenagers follow the latest
music, movies and fashion but are not willing to spend much money on them. Indonesians
usually obtain their music and movie collections from illegal online sources. On occasions,
teenagers buy it from stores but more often simply copy it from friends. It is very popular for
Indonesians to buy pirated film DVDs at nearby shopping centres for only Rp8,000 (US$0.75).
Because it is easy and cheap, almost everyone buys pirated movies, teenagers and adults, from
low to high income.
Teenagers want to wear cool and trendy fashion brands. Teenagers in low- and middleincome families buy counterfeit international brands and some original local brands from
independent distribution stores (distro stores). Buying original international brands, such as
Nike, Adidas and JanSport, is considered a luxury for most Indonesians, except people on high
incomes. Affluent teenagers also buy original fashion brands, such as Giordano, Zara and
ELLE, at shopping malls.
Teens fully adopt social media
Indonesians have always been keen to talk and share information with other people. Social
media facilitates this habit and teenagers are picking up new technology more quickly than
anyone else. For chatting, these young consumers typically use at least two applications on
their smartphones. The most popular ones are Whatsapp, LINE and WeChat. Overall,

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Whatsapp is the most popular chat application in Indonesia. It uses consumers mobile phone
numbers as user identification, which makes it easy to use. LINE can either use mobile phone
numbers or Facebook accounts to register. It has a variety of stickers and emoticons to express
emotions. For images, teenagers use Instagram and Snapchat.
Young girls typically install Whatsapp and LINE for chatting, Snapchat and Instagram for
playing with images, and Twitter to chirp about every little piece of information they have in life.
Most have Facebook accounts but have started to use them less, except for online games. They
feel the other social media sites and applications provide a more personal and richer
experience. One teenager claims, I wake up and go straight to my smartphone to check on
news updates from LINE, Twitter and Instagram. I try to reply to everything within 5 minutes, if
possible.

Young Adults
The number of young adults (aged 18-29) is declining, going from 51.6 million in 2005 to 51.4
million in 2013. This figure is expected to reach just over 50.6 million in 2016. Young adults in
Indonesia can generally be classified into two groups. Consumers aged 18-23 are mostly
college students while those aged 24-29 are usually working.
Most young adults perceive that a higher-education degree will significantly improve their
welfare, such as securing a better-paying job. Most parents typically encourage their children to
obtain a higher-education degree. Although the countrys economy is growing at over 5%
annually, the competition for work is tight. University students typically take a four-year
programme and graduate with a bachelors degree. Diploma students study for 1-3 years and
many vocational programmes are available for young adults looking for technical skills at
affordable prices. Most college students have their tuition fees paid by their parents and have
not yet earned their own income. Young adults aged 18-23 who go directly into the workforce
usually work in informal sectors and earn a low monthly salary.
Young adults with parents on low incomes are expected to get a job and earn money to help
their families financially. Young adults with middle- to high-income parents are not expected to
give money to their parents and in some cases still receive monthly allowances from their
parents. Young adults who are working and still live with their parents have a huge spending
power. Most young adults spend more than half their monthly salary on their personal lifestyle,
which includes food, entertainment and travel. Unfortunately most are not aware of the
importance of saving and investment until they reach their late 20s or get married.
Most Indonesians do not share the belief that people should be independent once they reach
18 years of age. Most young adults, even as old as 29 years and holding a steady job, do not
leave their parents house until they get married. Some stay for several more years after getting
married, and it is very common for one household to consist of two or more families. According
to studies conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2010, more than 90% of Indonesians get
married before they reach 30. Getting married is a huge matter and, in many cases, involves
extended families on both sides. Young people in urban areas typically get married in their mid
to late 20s, while those living in rural areas get married much earlier.
University students using e-books
Indonesian students are famous for being careful with their money. They try to save when
buying books, eating on campus, or spending on campus-related items. Yet, often, they go to
the mall on weekends and gladly pay three times the amount they are willing to pay for food on
campus. As students, they enjoy discounts on products and events, as well as many free
products and events on campus. One of their largest expenditures is textbooks. A typical
textbook costs Rp200,000 (US$16.7) to Rp400,000 (US$33.3), equivalent to 10-20 meals on
campus. Another alternative is to find an e-book version of the textbook through online sources.

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When they cannot obtain a free e-book, they can buy an e-book version of the textbook for less
than the physical textbook. Most students look for free e-books, but university textbooks are
rarely available online. The e-books can be installed on their laptops, tablets and smartphones,
which is convenient as it suits their close relationship with their gadgets and phones.
Online shopping from multiple stores
Shopping online is becoming a new hobby of mine, exclaimed a 25-year-old office worker.
Given that she earns a monthly salary, she is now able to make her own purchasing decisions.
As members of an internet- and gadget-savvy generation, many young office workers are taking
their shopping hobby online. They are very quick to find out new trends and new stores. As for
brick and mortar stores, these consumers are not necessarily loyal to one or two online stores.
Online access enables them to compare products and prices easily and quickly. Most young
adults learnt to shop at individual stores that sell their products through BlackBerry Messenger
and Facebook. Over the past few years, many large online stores have appeared, selling a wide
range of products at competitive prices. Moreover, large online retailers offer various payment
methods while individual stores typically offer only money transfer or cash on delivery. Women
are the main buyers and often buy clothes, shoes and bags.
Urban first jobbers love to spend money
Many young adults aged 23-26 who have been working for a couple of years are enjoying
having an income and little responsibility. First jobbers spend their money and feel no need to
save any. They spend on food, travel and socialising with friends.
Eating out at restaurants is very common for many office workers in Jakarta. They sometimes
look for new trendy places during their lunchtime or after office hours. A typical cheap lunch
costs Rp15,000 (US$1.25) to Rp20,000 (US$1.67); a meal at a restaurant costs Rp50,000
(US$4.2) to Rp100,000 (US$8.4). The typical monthly salary of first jobbers is Rp4 million
(US$333.3) to Rp9 million (US$750). Aside from eating out with friends, they also regularly
spend money on movies, music concerts and travelling. Typical big-ticket purchases include
smartphones and vehicles. Most male first jobbers buy a car after having had a motorcycle,
which takes 2-3 years to finance. Most female first jobbers prefer to buy a car than a motorcycle.
Among first jobbers, the most popular cars are small, compact and stylish, costing Rp150 million
(US$12,500) to Rp200 million (US$16,667).

Middle Youth
The number of people aged 30-44 has steadily increased, from nearly 51.2 million in 2005 to
58.2 million in 2013. This number is expected to reach nearly 60 million in 2016. People aged
30-44 were born between 1970 and 1983, a period when most parents did not delay getting
married or having children. According to studies conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2010,
more than 90% of Indonesians get married before they reach the age of 30. Consumers living in
urban areas typically get married in their mid to late 20s, while those living in rural areas get
married much earlier. Getting married after the age of 30 is considered late for many
Indonesians so, even if they delay getting married, most Indonesians do so by the age of 30. It
is not very common for couples to intentionally choose not to have children and most family
members cannot wait for newlyweds to have their first child. Although some newlyweds are not
in a rush to have their first child, most do not delay having a first child and leave a longer gap
before they have a second child.
Typically, at the age of 30-44, people are married; the male is working and the female is
contributing as a house wife. In large cities, however, many married females are also working.
At the age of 30, people have been working for six years or more, usually building a career.
Once they reach their mid-30s, they have been working for more than ten years and earn an

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ample income for their family. Most people at this stage look to purchase higher quality goods
and services. Yet, their outgoings have increased significantly because they are raising a family.
They usually purchase their first house in their early 30s and, once they have children, they
try to provide the best food, environment and education possible. Most small houses in
suburban areas cost Rp400 million (US$33,333) to Rp1 billion (US$83,333). Affordable houses,
as guided by the government, cost around Rp100 million. Enrolling into private schools is very
expensive, but it has become many parents aspiration. It is reserved for high-income families,
mostly living in urban areas. It can cost between Rp15 million (US$1,250) and Rp40 million
(US$3,333) to enter a good private elementary school, with monthly tuition fees between Rp1
million (US$83) and Rp3 million (US$250).
Despite the increasing responsibility to finance all these needs, the awareness of financial
planning is relatively low. According to Pandji Harsono, an independent financial planner, many
Indonesian families earn a decent income but are clueless at managing their finances. However,
a growing number of young parents have been keen to learn about family financial planning.
Savings, mortgages, investments, childrens education, insurance and travelling are some main
items that a young family needs to plan for. Besides work, people like to spend time with their
family and some try to live a healthier life. Going to the mall and shopping centres with their
family is the most popular activity at the weekend.
Hip herbal medicine
In an effort to have a healthier and happier life after the age of 30, some people in middle
youth are going back to nature. An article in the Jakarta Post reveals that many young urbanites
are going back to jamu, Indonesias traditional herbal medicine, which used to be associated
with old people. Jamu uses natural ingredients, and various mixes are available, most of which
taste bitter and unpleasant. Jamu is made from ingredients such as ginger, thyme, rice, ginseng,
honey, eggs, and cinnamon. The Bukti Mentjos store, which has turned into a restaurant, is
popular with people in middle youth who appreciate jamu remedies but want a modern
atmosphere. The store has 50 types of jamu on the menu; it is open from 10 am to 9.30 pm on
weekdays and fills up in the evening with office workers, families with children and even young
people.
I came here because I had been repeatedly suffering from mouth ulcers and stomach aches
for the past few weeks. I prefer drinking jamu to visiting medical doctors, stated a regular
customer at Bukti Mentjos. Her order came in two small glass cups. The first one contained a
hot thick muddy mixture, while the second was hot, sweet and gingery. Real jamu tastes a bit
bitter, but I dont mind. My technique is to drink it fast, she explained. A man in his early 30s
reveals that he regularly drinks jamu after exercising at a nearby gym. I usually order jamu
Number 15 Satria and ginseng. I want to remain healthy especially since I quit smoking two
years ago, he stated. He used to visit a small shop selling jamu and honey for only Rp6,000
(US$0.5) a shot but stopped going after learning that the vendor used fake honey to keep the
price low. One portion of jamu at Bukti Mentjos costs around Rp17,000 (US$1.42).
While Bukti Mentjos offers authentic jamu, customers who want to enjoy a chic ambiance visit
Suwe Ora Jamu in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. The newly opened caf offers two kinds of
jamu: fresh beverages using jamu ingredients and authentic instant powder jamu.. One of the
beverages on the menu is called Green Tamarind, a blend of mustard greens with turmeric and
tamarind. The green-coloured beverage is considered delicious and soothing.
Jamu remedies are common in many parts of the country. They are usually used to treat light
ailments, such as colds, fatigue and lack of appetite. Health Ministry research shows that 59%
of Indonesians above the age of 15 have consumed jamu, 95% of whom reported a benefit from
the drinks. Most jamu, however, has not been clinically proven.

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Running as a community sport


In order to be healthier and happier after the age of 30, many people exercise. After the gym
craze about five years ago, running has gained popularity in the past couple of years. In 2013,
the number of running events in large cities and the number of new runners grew. According to
marilari.com, a website that promotes running in Indonesia, during the last three months of 2013
alone more than 30 events were held, and Nikes Bajak Jakarta running event was one of the
most anticipated events of the year. The first international running event, The Jakarta
Marathon, was held in 2013 and attracted more than 10,000 runners from several countries.
Indonesia has a collective culture and it applies to running as well. While in some countries
running is often an individual sport, in Indonesia it is a social sport. People run together, have
fun and take pictures together. Indorunners, the largest running community, has over 14,000
active members. I want to stay healthy for my kids and be there when they grow up, posted a
mother of two. Another mom picked up running in 2012 after joining Indorunners, which a friend
had joined. She needs to practice a sport, wants to be healthy and look after her body.
Indorunners has dozens of regular running events in more than 20 cities in Indonesia. In
Jakarta, for example, its regular Thursday Night Run attracts 40-50 runners every week.
Regular weekend events attract even more runners who enjoy the support of running with
others.
Celebrity-influenced healthier lifestyles
In 2013, many celebrities promoted healthier lifestyles. Deddy Corbuzier (aged 37), a famous
mentalist and TV host, created his OCD diet, which has appealed to many young consumers.
He published a book and has had over 2 million Twitter followers. Donna Agnesia (aged 35) and
Darius Sinathyra (aged 28) are a famous celebrity couple with three children. They have
promoted the frutarian (always eating fruits) habit. Both have over 280,000 Twitter followers.
Sophie Navita (aged 38), presenter and wife of a famous singer, has been promoting healthy
eating for several years. In 2013, she popularised the green smoothie trend by posting YouTube
videos and Twitter posts to educate thousands of people about green smoothies. Indonesians
tend to look favourably upon what celebrities are doing, and people in middle youth have
enjoyed healthy lifestyle suggestions from celebrities.

Mid-lifers
The number of mid-lifers (aged 45-59) has steadily increased. In 2005, there were 28.4 million
mid-lifers and over 38.9 million in 2013. This number is expected to increase further and reach
over 42.7 million in 2016. Many mid-lifers are at the peak of their career and are very stable
financially. On the other hand, their spending on health usually increases. Many mid-lifers are
too busy working and struggle to find the time to take better care of their health. The fear of
osteoporosis has led many mid-lifers to drink high-calcium milk.
Once they approach retirement age, which is 56 for many, they start to think about life after
work. Many affluent mid-lifers aspire to live life at a slower pace, with more time to relax, engage
in spiritual and social activities and travel. Many mid-lifers still have to work hard to support their
families and prepare for their childrens wedding celebrations. Most mid-lifers are concerned
about their health and cut down on popular foods, such as goat meat, durian fruit and all foods
containing coconut curry (santan).
Many mid-lifers children are getting married. The tradition is for parents to pay all the wedding
costs. Mid-lifers are disciplined about saving money and have usually planned ahead for their
childrens wedding celebrations. Some people who do not have enough money borrow from
relatives to finance these must-have events.

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Medical tourism becomes popular


Indonesians on high incomes enjoy travelling to Singapore or Malaysia on vacation. In the
past few years, they have travelled for leisure and medical purposes. According to the Health
Ministry, 600,000 Indonesians left the country for medical treatment in 2011. They spent an
estimated US$1.2 billion on treatment in nations with modern, and often better-equipped, health
facilities.
An article in the Jakarta Post described the stories of Indonesians who prefer to go abroad for
medical care. Widjil Trionggo, 54, shared his experience of seeing a cardiologist at a hospital in
Jakarta. The doctor suggested that Widjil, who had blocked arteries, had balloon angioplasty,
whereby doctors place stents in his arteries. They said they didnt know how many stents they
would need to put in my chest, they wanted to cut into my chest first then specify the cost of the
surgery afterwards, he explained. Discouraged by the prospect of not knowing the cost of his
surgery in advance, he flew to Penang, Malaysia, where doctors suggested he had bypass
surgery.
Another medical tourist, Siaw Kian, 57, stated that she preferred to get healthcare abroad, as
opposed to near her home in Jambi, Sumatra, since overseas hospitals offer better service and
prices than the best hospitals in Indonesia. Service is fast. We had good information on what
the doctors wanted to do and the charges were almost similar, or even cheaper than if we had
gone to hospitals here, she stated. After her son broke his arm, Siaw Kian took him to a
hospital in Malaka, Malaysia, where she said she paid doctors about 5,000 ringgit (US$1,652) to
install a rod to help the broken bone mend. An international hospital in Indonesia wanted to
charge the same amount to remove the rod. She and her son returned to Malaysia, where the
hospital charged 2,000 ringgit for the procedure.
Seeking medical treatment abroad has become a regular practice for some Indonesians. For
those who live in Sumatra, treatment in Penang or Malaka is convenient. Richer patients from
Jakarta travel to Singapore for treatment. Nur Rasyid Lubis, the deputy director of Adam Malik
Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, stated that it is common for local residents to seek
healthcare abroad. People want quick service, or quality service that matches the charges, so
they go abroad. After all, Malaysia and Singapore are quite close, he explained. An Indonesian
who lives in Medan, North Sumatra, shared her experience of having medical check-ups in
Penang, Malaysia. For people living in Medan, a plane trip to Penang takes only 45 minutes and
costs Rp600,000 (US$50)-Rp800,000 (US$66.7). She feels that the medical check-up there is
much more satisfying, clear and affordable. Most of the hospitals provide special customer
service for Indonesians and are very helpful; they provide administrative help, including taking
care of securing plane tickets home.
Healthy food catering
In Jakarta, it can be a challenge to stay healthy. Pollution, traffic, unpredictable weather and
the lack of sidewalks make outdoor exercise difficult. In addition, while oily, salty food is
available on every street corner, more nutritious fare can be hard to come by. According to a
personal trainer at Jatomi Fitness, Kuningan City, Jakarta; Almost every food in Jakarta is
unhealthy, making it really hard to make positive food choices. Since people eat three times a
day, it can be difficult for busy mid-lifers who are starting to have health conditions to stay
healthy. Yet, as a result of the rise in living standards and the awareness of healthy living,
Indonesians are adopting healthier, costlier eating habits. Some affluent mid-lifers order healthy
food from caterers. While some younger people are trying healthy diet services for health and
slimming purposes, mid-lifers want food that is suitable for their health conditions.
Hermawan, a successful entrepreneur aged 56, started to pay more attention to his health
after years of suffering from diabetes. He has been taking many traditional medicines, but the
most difficult struggle has been to control the food he consumed. He found it hard to find the

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

time to prepare exact diet requirements for every meal and at times ignored his health condition.
Several years ago he was introduced to White Lotus, one of the few premium food catering
services in Jakarta. One meal costs between Rp60,000 (US$5) and Rp80,000 (US$6.7).
Healthy catering services are ideal for affluent consumers who are very busy and have a health
condition. Each delivery includes nutrition facts designed by nutrition experts and the food is
cooked by experienced chefs. Health is expensive but getting sick is much more expensive, as
one consumer put it.

Late-lifers
The number of late-lifers (aged 60 and above) has steadily increased; from nearly 17.6 million
in 2005 to 21.5 million in 2013. This number is expected to reach more than 24.1 million in 2016.
The growing number of late-lifers in Indonesia is supported by the increasing life expectancy,
which has improved every year. In 2005, the healthy life expectancy at birth was 58.5 years; in
2013, it reached 62.8 years and, by 2016, it is projected to reach nearly 64 years.
Late-lifers are mostly retired or working part time. The retirement age for government
employees is between 55 and 58 years, and the same applies to most public companies.
Lecturers, researchers, and high-level executives work until they reach 60 or 65. In many cases,
late-lifers still live with their children. In fact, at times, the children cannot afford to live by
themselves yet. It is very common for one household to consist of two or more families. Living in
a retirement home is still uncommon. The norm is for the children to take care of their parents
once they grow old; it is considered impious for children to send their parents to retirement
homes.
Many late-lifers rely on their monthly pension to support their daily needs. All previous
government employees receive a monthly pension and modest health insurance coverage until
they pass away. Once they pass away, their husband or wife is entitled to receive their pension.
This is seldom the case for previous public company employees who usually do not receive
anything once they retire, except a modest sum from a pension fund regulated by the
government. Many lead a modest lifestyle and prioritise their resources on religious activities
and maintaining their health. Yet, a small number of late-lifers have saved and invested enough
money and actually spend not only on their grandchildren but also on themselves.
Senior Tourism
As reported in the Jakarta Post, the Bali provincial administration is eager to develop
retirement tourism on the island and has agreed to support the Bali Retirement Tourism
Authority (BRTA) to develop new residences for senior tourists by providing plots of land. The
governor of Bali gave assurances that retirement tourism would be very profitable. He revealed
that usually senior tourists have strong financial resources and want to enjoy the rest of their life.
He has instructed administration officials to provide data on land owned by the administration
that could be used for such a plan and pointed out that Payangan and Ubud are possible areas
in Bali for the site. The chairman of BRTA indicated that the retirement tourism concept
designed by BRTA was to provide suitable residences for senior tourists. He stressed that these
accommodation facilities could fulfil many requirements, being located in strategic locations with
a clean environment, as well as being comfortable. The residences should also be supported by
facilities, including hospitals with competent paramedics.
The trend for senior travel was encouraged by a community group called Indonesia Tourism
Senior Club (ITSC). ITSC has regular gatherings and people often travel together; its members
are mostly aged over 65, with the oldest being 87. Many are avid travellers and still quite
adventurous. Senior travellers are very passionate about travelling and their spare time has
given them the opportunity to travel more. Senior travellers take their time to enjoy the beauty of
nature and interact with fellow travellers.

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Table 1

Consumer Segmentation and Population Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013,
2016

Babies/infants (aged 02) ('000)


Kids (aged 3-8) ('000)
Tweens (aged 9-12) ('000)
Teens (aged 13-17) ('000)
Young adults (aged 1829) ('000)
Middle youth (aged 3044) ('000)
Mid-lifers (aged 45-59)
('000)
Later-lifers (aged 60+)
('000)
Population: National
estimates at January
1st ('000)
- Population aged 0-14:
January 1st ('000)
- Population aged 1564: January 1st ('000)
- Population aged 65+:
January 1st ('000)
- Male population:
January 1st ('000)
- Female population:
January 1st ('000)
- Urban population ('000)
- Rural population ('000)
Birth rates (per '000
population)
Death rates (per '000
population)
Marriage rates (per
'000 population)
Divorce rates (per '000
population)
Source:

Chart 1

Passport

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

12,840

13,691

12,473

12,399

12,442

12,340

26,185
17,638
22,478
49,593

25,721
17,303
21,875
51,560

26,475
17,276
21,230
51,756

26,240
17,473
21,126
51,602

25,904
17,614
21,123
51,382

25,204
17,465
21,625
50,644

45,581

51,153

56,688

57,492

58,237

59,988

23,625

28,402

36,235

37,594

38,941

42,730

15,456

17,598

20,193

20,844

21,546

24,138

213,395

227,303

242,326

244,769

247,188

254,135

65,583

65,470

64,629

64,535

64,475

63,830

137,973

150,193

164,002

166,194

168,334

174,625

9,840

11,640

13,694

14,040

14,379

15,679

106,674

113,519

120,819

122,013

123,197

126,589

106,722

113,785

121,507

122,756

123,992

127,546

89,628
123,767
21.4

97,854
129,449
20.1

108,082
134,243
17.9

109,949
134,820
17.5

111,832
135,356
17.2

117,771
136,363
16.2

7.4

7.3

6.9

6.8

6.8

6.7

10.3

10.1

11.2

11.2

11.2

11.3

0.7

0.7

0.7

0.7

0.7

0.7

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Population Aged 15-64 Compared with Old-Age Dependency Ratio 20002020

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Source:

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HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLDS


Home Ownership
In 2013, the number of households reached 63.3 million, up from 57.3 million in 2005. This
number is expected to grow to 65.3 million by 2016. Although more households are located in
rural areas than urban areas (34.8 million and 28.4 million, respectively, in 2013), the growth in
urban households has outpaced that of rural ones. Most Indonesians prefer to own their houses
as opposed to renting them. In 2013, 47.8 million (75.5%) households owned their properties
while only 8.5 million (13.4%) rented. In 2005, the percentage of house renters was only 9%
while the percentage of house owners reached 82%. This shows that, although the majority of
households would prefer to buy a house, more households are now renting. This is driven by the
strong economic growth in major cities, which creates new jobs and makes people migrate
temporarily for one-three years. These cities include Jakarta, Makassar (Sulawesi) and
Balikpapan (Kalimantan).
Most home owners (86% in 2013) have no mortgage, as Indonesians prefer to pay upfront for
their houses, as opposed to using credit. This is partly due to complicated administration
procedures for applying for mortgages. Yet, the number of households without mortgages has
declined from 41.9 million in 2005 to 41.2 million in 2013, while the number of those with
mortgages has increased from just over 5 million in 2005 to nearly 6.7 million in 2013. This is
driven by the fact that more newlyweds in cities now buy their own houses instead of staying
longer in their parents houses and they have the income to obtain credit from banks. These
young couples are usually progressive, independent and have double incomes.
Most Indonesians prefer to live in houses, as opposed to apartments, and are willing to buy
houses far away from city centres, leading to commutes of over three hours a day for a round
trip. The number of affordable houses, located in the surrounding areas of the capital city
Jakarta, is growing. They are attracting buyers who work as far as 20-25 kilometres away from
those areas. Areas such as Serpong, Depok and Bekasi are located outside of Jakarta but are
home to millions of commuters. Although having a house with a small private garden is still
desirable, compared to living vertically in apartment buildings, more young couples are starting
to prefer the convenience of living in apartments close to their work. They are usually young
couples on high incomes. The government has encouraged the development of affordable
apartments, called rusun, short for rumah susun (stacked housing) for low-income families.

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According to a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Housing, in 2013 Indonesia had a shortfall of
15 million houses. The figure has continued to rise every year. Although the government has
promised incentives for companies to build small houses for low-income families, the huge
demand will not be met by the supply any time soon.
As it is simpler than stocks and other financial instruments, housing is widely considered a
popular investment medium. Affluent Indonesians are driven to buy second and third houses
and apartments in expectation of high value and rent growth. Aside from investment motives,
speculative purchasing has occurred. This has spurred incredible growth in the property market
over the past few years, which some believe may turn into a property bubble. Buying a second
or third house can lead to a 15% annual increase in value, and it can be rented out to pay for
the mortgage instalments. Books and seminars on buying a property without spending much
money, usually using bank mortgages and crafty property valuations, are popular. Often people
send proposals to at least three banks asking for a loan that well exceeds the market value of
the house, hoping to receive a cushion big enough to cover the down payment for the house.
In anticipation, in late September 2013, the Central Bank issued a regulation that tightens the
mortgage requirements for houses and apartments. For the first house or apartment, the down
payment was increased from 20% of the house or apartment value to 30%. For the second
house or apartment purchased, a person must pay 40% as a down payment. For the third and
beyond, 50% of the house or apartment value must be paid as a down payment. This rule
applies to houses and apartments from 70 square metres and above. For first houses or
apartments below 70 square metres, the rule is much looser.
Another macro factor that affects the demand is the Central Bank rate, which serves as the
benchmark for credit and mortgage rates. In January 2013, the Central Bank rate was 5.75%; by
November 2013, it had risen to 7.5%. This led to an immediate increase in mortgage rates and
is likely to affect demand in 2014, especially for second or third property purchases. First-time
buyers will continue to buy houses because it is a primary need for families. According to Fitch
Ratings 2013 year-end report, More than 50% of Indonesia's 250 million people are aged 30
years or below and a large number of these young people will be buying their first homes in the
near future.
Apartment life
The ideal for many newlyweds has always been to raise their family in a spacious house with
a small garden in a good neighborhood. Most newlyweds or young couples would rather buy a
house far away from city centres, where they work, and sacrifice around three hours a day to
commute back and forth. As new houses are now built farther from city centres and urbanites
want a better lifestyle, more young couples are opting for 40-square-metre apartments.
Living in an apartment has advantages: it enables people to live close to offices,
supermarkets, restaurants and sport facilities. The main drawback is the lack of safe space for
children to play. Yet, as more young couples delay having children and settle for just two
children, living in an apartment becomes much more viable. Moreover, almost all middle- and
high-level apartment complexes have dedicated play areas for children. Another concern is the
relatively high maintenance cost of living in an apartment. But, many people are getting used to
paying a bit more for items such as air conditioning, electricity, security, parking, and sport
facilities. Many young couples who choose to live in apartments are both working and perceive
the higher maintenance cost as fair given all the added benefits.
In a January 2014 statement, the Executive Director of Indonesia Property Watch commented
that more Indonesians in major cities must live in vertical living spaces or apartments. It is
necessary and provides good quality, affordable housing. It will become the norm as more
young couples get used to raising their families in apartments.

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Household Profiles
As in many Asian countries, Indonesians have a very strong bond with their family. It is very
common for a household to consist of a father, mother, children and grandparents. Other close
relatives, such as an uncle, aunt or cousin, often also join households. Consequently, household
sizes tend to be large, but the trend towards smaller household sizes is growing in large cities.
Generally, children can stay in their parents house, even once they have reached 30 years of
age and have a steady job. Children usually stay with their parents until they get married or stay
for several years after they get married and have their own children. Economic and social
reasons drive this behaviour, as staying in the same house helps young families save money
and allows the grandparents to be close to their grandchildren.
In 2013, 45.7% of households consisted of four persons or more, against 55% in 2005.
Households with only one or two persons accounted for 37.4% of households in 2013, a
significant increase from 26.3% in 2005. More young couples are moving out of their parents
house earlier and delaying having children. Since many couples are both working, they have the
income to buy their own house or apartment. They also believe that they will enjoy life more by
themselves, from designing their own house or apartment to travelling together. This is the case
in large cities where now most people get married between the ages of 24 and 29, later than in
the past.
Households consisting of couples with children are still the majority, representing nearly 64%
of households in 2013. Their number grew by nearly 10% between 2005 and 2013. In the same
period, the number of households consisting of couples without children grew by almost 16%.
They accounted for almost 12% of households in 2013. Again, this is because more young
couples in cities delay getting married and having children. Yet, it is still the norm for people to
get married and have children. It is very uncommon for couples to intentionally choose not to
have children. Many parents would find it unacceptable.
The disposable income of households has continued to rise. The country has one of the
largest middle-class populations in the world, although the majority of Indonesians earn a low
income. In 2009, 18.1% of households had a disposable income over US$10,000, rising to
25.4% in 2013. In 2009, 2.3% of households had a disposable income over US$25,000, rising to
3.9% in 2013.
The ownership of basic durables is still growing; washing machines and refrigerators only
reached 31.2% and 31.5% of households, respectively, in 2013. Most urban households own
basic home appliances. Many people in rural areas still wash clothes using washing boards.
Pets are still very rare; they are considered a luxury that would mean additional monthly
costs. People who have pets tend to own cats or dogs; fewer have fish, chickens, birds or
rabbits as pets. Muslims, the majority in Indonesia, cannot interact closely with dogs. They
believe that the saliva of dogs is unclean; therefore, it must be avoided. In most housing areas,
stray cats are common. In suburban areas, chickens, ducks and goats roam freely. This makes
people resist the urge to have a pet of their own.

Running Costs
The main running cost is electricity. Almost all households use electricity as their only source
of energy. Low-income families find it hard to pay for running costs as they struggle to meet
daily basic needs, such as food and shelter. High-income families can plan ahead for expenses,
such as maintenance and repairs of dwellings. Most of these households have servants to help
maintain their houses. Although more people are doing their own easy repairs, most repairs are
undertaken by informal workers.
As electricity is expensive, many households look for energy-efficient lamps and air
conditioners. This is not the case for televisions. Most houses in cities use low-watt lamps. LED

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

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lights were introduced in Indonesia in 2013. Although people are becoming aware that LED
lamps are more energy efficient, their expensive price is a major obstacle. Moreover, people still
believe that their low-watt lamps are good enough to lower their monthly electricity bills.
Energy-efficient housing
Building an energy-efficient house has become very popular with city dwellers. According to
architects, more clients consider energy efficiency when designing their houses. They lower the
cost of air conditioning and lighting by using energy-efficient home appliances, such as air
conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines.
As many brands offer low-energy or -watt home appliances, consumers are becoming more
interested. Demand has been growing significantly in major cities for air conditioners, and more
consumers are looking for energy-efficient ones. According to a product manager for one of the
leading brands of air conditioners, around 25% of consumers opt for energy-efficient types.
The Jakarta Building Supervision and Regulatory Agency unveiled a new green building code
for new buildings in April 2013. This applies to office buildings, shopping malls and apartments
of over 50,000 square metres; hotels and health facilities that exceed 20,000 square metres;
and educational facilities of more than 10,000 square metres.
Table 2

Housing and Households Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

Total number of
households ('000)
- Urban ('000)
- Rural ('000)
Households by tenure
- Home owner ('000)
-- Home owner without
mortgage ('000)
-- Home owner with
mortgage ('000)
- R ented ('000)
Households by number of
persons
- 1 ('000)
- 2 ('000)
- 3 ('000)
- 4 ('000)
- 5 ('000)
- 6+ ('000)
Households by number of
rooms
- 1 ('000)
- 2 ('000)
- 3 ('000)
- 4 ('000)
- 5+ ('000)
Households by sex of
head of household
- Male ('000)
- Female ('000)
Households by type
- Single person ('000)
- Couple without
children ('000)
- Couple with children

Euromonitor International

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

52,008

57,274

61,876

62,570

63,251

65,253

21,467
30,541

24,358
32,917

27,409
34,467

27,923
34,647

28,438
34,813

30,077
35,176

43,000
41,839

46,936
41,915

47,657
41,227

47,819
41,262

47,845
41,199

48,345
41,451

1,161

5,021

6,430

6,557

6,646

6,895

4,793

5,154

7,579

7,975

8,499

9,608

3,235
7,022
9,781
12,084
9,299
10,588

4,741
10,345
10,638
13,232
9,717
8,600

6,747
14,765
10,719
13,380
9,574
6,691

7,086
15,512
10,683
13,340
9,520
6,429

7,425
16,258
10,638
13,288
9,461
6,181

8,435
18,479
10,470
13,089
9,268
5,512

10,149
18,327
12,252
5,695
5,585

11,123
19,870
13,673
6,591
6,017

11,966
21,170
14,942
7,424
6,374

12,093
21,369
15,132
7,546
6,429

12,219
21,566
15,317
7,665
6,484

12,589
22,155
15,857
8,004
6,649

45,881
6,128

50,205
7,070

53,334
8,542

53,797
8,773

54,253
8,998

55,585
9,668

3,235
5,411

4,741
6,415

6,747
7,216

7,086
7,326

7,425
7,432

8,435
7,729

33,464

36,728

39,510

39,924

40,330

41,517

19

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

('000)
- Single-parent family
('000)
- Other ('000)
House price index (2010
= 100)
Pet population (animals
per household)
Ownership of household
durables by type
- Dishwasher (% of
households)
- Freezer (% of
households)
- Microwave oven (% of
households)
- Refrigerator (% of
households)
- Telephone (% of
households)
- Tumble drier (% of
households)
- Vacuum cleaner (% of
households)
- Washing machine (% of
households)
Average household
expenditure on
running costs (Rp000 per
household at constant
prices)
- Maintenance and
repair of dwellings
- Water and miscellaneous
domestic services
- Electricity, gas and
other fuels
- Hardware and DIY
goods
- Household and
domestic services
Source:

Chart 2

Passport

3,515

3,640

3,788

3,816

3,845

3,935

6,384
-

5,751
86.5

4,615
104.7

4,417
109.4

4,219
122.7

3,637
n/a

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.0

0.3

1.0

1.0

1.1

1.3

2.1

3.0

3.7

3.7

3.8

4.0

0.6

1.6

2.8

3.0

3.2

3.7

15.3

22.0

29.7

30.6

31.5

34.0

11.2

13.1

9.0

8.5

8.3

8.0

1.3

1.8

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.8

15.2

24.7

36.8

38.6

40.4

45.1

15.1

23.4

29.8

30.5

31.2

32.9

278.8

526.5

853.8

901.8

952.1

1,143.4

120.2

219.2

343.2

362.0

380.8

452.6

1,549.0

2,686.8

3,978.1

4,190.3

4,381.5

5,116.7

150.9

245.0

337.0

350.9

363.7

414.3

407.8

705.4

1,045.4

1,099.2

1,150.5

1,342.2

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Number of Households by Disposable Income Bracket 2005, 2010, 2016

Euromonitor International

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Source:

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MONEY AND SAVINGS


Attitudes Toward Payment Methods
Most Indonesians are unsophisticated in terms of payment methods; therefore, cash is still the
most popular means of payment. In some rural areas, people keep their savings at home.
Urbanites are much more accustomed to banking services although some people only go to the
bank to keep their money in a safe place. It is estimated that only 35% of Indonesians have
access to formal financial institutions, like banks. BCA, the largest consumer bank in Indonesia,
had just over 12 million customers in September 2013 a small number given the size of the
population (240 million). Mandiri, Indonesias largest bank in terms of assets, had roughly 12
million customers in April 2013. BRI, known for its micro financing, had an estimated 40 million
customers in 2013.
The Central Bank has encouraged the use of electronic payment methods to increase
efficiency. Currently, few Indonesians use them, but internet and mobile banking is gaining
traction. Security was once a major issue, but not any longer. Some people have used similar
services abroad and started the adoption process in Indonesia, mainly among young
Indonesians. Shopping online has grown in popularity; the main payment methods include
community-based joint accounts, cash on delivery and bank transfers. People are getting
familiar with credit cards and payment gateways, but usage is still limited.
Most banks provide an ATM card once a customer opens an account. The number of ATM
cards issued has grown significantly since 2005, from 33 million to just over 106 million cards in
2013. The number of debit cards has also grown, from 24.9 million cards in 2005 to 84.9 million
cards in 2013, with a very large rise in transaction value. The number of credit cards in
circulation barely grew between 2011 and 2013, from 14.3 million to 14.6 million. This number is
expected to reach 16.4 million in 2016. The low growth is partly due to the belief that credit
cards drive unnecessary consumption and eventually lead to huge debts.

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Indonesians have learnt to use ATMs not only for simple transactions, such as money
withdrawals and transfers, but also to pay for household utilities and purchase prepaid phone
credit. Since July 2013, the main ATM providers (Alto, Bersama and Prima) have enabled
access to each others machines. Customers of almost any bank can use any ATM owned by
the three ATM players, representing over 50,000 ATM machines across Indonesia.

Savings
Nationwide, annual savings reached Rp248 trillion in 2013, up from Rp216.5 trillion in 2011;
they are expected to reach just over Rp302 trillion in 2016. The savings ratio has remained
relatively stable since 2011, when it was 4.6% of disposable income. In 2013, it reached 4.7%.
Younger Indonesians do not save money, although this is starting to change. This is partly
due to the fact that many children still live with their parents until they get married, even after
they reach the age of 30 and have a steady job. More young educated people are now saving
money; they invest and budget for household expenses. The level of awareness increases
significantly once they get married, typically after the age of 25. Despite the growing awareness,
few allocate a designated percentage of their monthly income to savings and seek financial
planning help.

Loans and Mortgages


Consumer credit (outstanding balance) has increased from Rp358 trillion in 2005 to Rp936
trillion in 2013. This number is expected to reach Rp1,232 trillion by 2016. Mortgages grew from
Rp83.6 trillion in 2005 to nearly Rp290 trillion in 2013. This number is expected to reach Rp397
trillion by 2016.
Traditionally, Indonesians do not have many loans or credit cards, but many are easily driven
by appealing consumer loan promotions. Although many big-ticket items are purchased without
a loan, especially housing, more people are taking out loans. They take loans out to buy cars
and motorcycles, electronic and home appliances, as well as smartphones and gadgets. Almost
everywhere retailers are teaming up with credit card companies to offer zero interest rates for
three to six months. Others offer a low interest rate, which is often enough to encourage
purchase decisions. As a result, consumer loans have increased significantly between 2005 and
2013. However, during the second semester of 2013, the growth has declined slightly.
According to Peter Jacobs, from Bank Indonesia (BI), the growth of credit in the third quarter of
2013 reached 20.8%, less than in the previous quarter (22.3%). Investment credit and consumer
credit both experienced declining growth. This was mainly driven by the increase in the Central
Bank (BI) interest rate from 5.75% in January 2013 to 7.5% in November 2013. This has
affected loan and mortgage rates and is likely to affect demand in 2014.
Traditional payment methods for online shopping
Other than traditional bank transfer, many online sellers and consumers prefer cash on
delivery (COD) as their payment method. E-commerce expert Andi S Boediman thinks that
paying by COD provides assurance and safety for consumers. Although it creates more work for
sellers, many large online retailers offer this payment method. According to the managing
director/co-founder of Zalora Indonesia, many consumers do not feel comfortable paying for
their online shopping by electronic means or credit cards. This is why Zalora offers COD as a
familiar payment method for online shoppers. Bhinneka, Lazada, AlfaOnline, Rakuten and many
other large online retailers offer COD as a payment method. It enables buyers to check the
quality of the products they saw online and do not have to pay anything before they receive the
products. Sellers also benefit as they receive cash rather than through online systems. Online
shopping is still developing and consumers are learning to shop safely. A recent study by

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

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Rakuten in 2013 found that 84% of online shoppers have had a disappointing experience and
that only 25% has been completely satisfied with online shopping.
No credit card, no problem
Nina and her husband used to have six credit cards between them, but in 2013 they decided
to get rid of five credit cards and kept one because they had paid the annual fee and had not
redeemed the reward points. Nina, who lives in Semarang, realises that having a credit card
tempts people to buy. She has decided to give priority to her childrens education rather than
pay for items she does not really need. Many consumers living in cities think that a credit card is
useful when buying airline tickets, accommodation and other goods from international
merchants.
Eko, a radio announcer in Malang, believes that people can travel abroad without using a
credit card. For the tickets, he recommends several low-cost carriers. For airasia.com, he can
pay using internet banking; for Tiger Airways, he can even use an ATM to pay. For
accommodation, he suggests using booking.com, which offers a non-deposit option for
reserving hotel rooms. Consumers are finding it very easy to use their debit cards daily. This is
because most large banks are making their electronic data capture (EDC) machines available
almost everywhere. Mandiri, the largest bank in Indonesia, had nearly 210,000 EDC machines
in September 2013.
Some celebrities choose to stay away from credit cards. Famous blogger, Twitter micro
celebrity and entrepreneur Roni Yuzirman has been a long advocate of this movement. Dhan,
the keyboardist of the music band Gheisha, also believes that he does not need a credit card.
He perceives that a credit card is a form of owing money and he does not like to owe money.
Yet, many consumers choose to have one credit card for a specific use.
Table 3

Money and Savings Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

Financial cards in
circulation
- ATM cards (mn cards)
- Debit cards (mn cards)
- Credit cards (mn cards)
Financial cards'
transactions
- ATM cards (Rp bn, at
constant prices)
- Debit cards (Rp bn,
at constant prices)
- Credit cards (Rp bn,
at constant prices)
- Charge cards (Rp bn,
at constant prices)
Cash transactions (Rp
bn, at constant prices)
Other paper
transactions (Rp bn, at
constant prices)
Annual savings (Rp mn,
at constant prices)
Savings ratio (% of
disposable income)
Annual lending rate (%)
Consumer lending

Euromonitor International

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

22.9
12.9
2.9

33.0
24.9
6.4

78.2
59.8
14.3

92.6
73.2
14.3

106.5
84.9
14.6

142.3
113.0
16.4

478,081

675,305

1,276,196

1,502,448

1,683,467

1,948,823

25,549

30,435

92,873

116,583

139,900

192,158

32,326

62,250

189,536

201,602

215,205

294,380

3,828

4,128

6,112

6,450

6,685

8,185

1,919,260

2,476,269

3,096,730

3,088,476

3,050,420

2,927,980

1,378

1,486

1,550

1,619

1,614

1,358

128,127,
344
5.3

81,739,9
56
2.6

216,529,
720
4.6

232,735,
642
4.6

248,084,
583
4.7

302,055,
949
4.7

18.5

14.1

12.4

11.8

11.5

n/a

23

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

- Consumer credit
(outstanding balance)
(Rp bn)
- Mortgages/housing
(outstanding balance)
(Rp bn)
Source:

164,162

357,900

736,104

842,228

936,090

1,231,947

33,491

83,641

216,671

254,407

289,890

397,104

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 3

Source:

Passport

Consumer Lending Compared with Savings and Savings Ratio 2000-2016

Euromonitor International

EATING AND DRINKING


Eating Habits
Consumer expenditure on food reached Rp6.38 million per capita in 2013, a rise of almost 9%
since 2011. Spending on food is expected to increase further, to reach nearly Rp7.3 million in
2016. Indonesia has a rich variety of foods as a result of its cultural diversity. Almost every
major city has a specific kind of food and flavour, rooted in its culture. There is Sundanese,
Javanese, Manado, Makassar, Palembang, Medan, Aceh, Bali and, of course, Padang food.
Some areas can be broken down further into more specific food tastes.
A typical chicken broth soup tastes slightly different depending on the small city it comes from.
Therefore, when opening a restaurant selling chicken soup (soto ayam), one indicates the
specific area it comes from. Rendang is one of the most famous dishes in Indonesia. Although
originally from West Sumatra, people living in Sumatra, Java and other areas have their own
take on how to cook it. The original in Sumatra tends to be spicier; in Java, it is less spicy, but
everyone still calls it rendang.
For a quick meal to prepare at home, Indonesians are famous for their instant noodles. They
are a staple because their savoury flavour suits all Indonesians. They are cheap, very easy to
prepare and can be stored for a long time. Indonesians also like to make fritters for snacks,
including fried bananas, tofu, tempe and many more.
Local food has always had a special place in the hearts of Indonesians since most grew up
eating more local foods than international foods. A small number of youngsters are growing up
eating more Western foods but are still familiar with local food. American, Japanese, Chinese

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

and, recently, Korean food have been popular. These foods are easy to adapt to the Indonesian
taste. To a lesser extent, Spanish, French and Mexican food have found interest in major cities,
such as Jakarta and Bandung. As the majority of Indonesians are Muslims, halal food is always
a concern. Except in a few areas, it is the norm for food sellers to mention or display the halal
sign on the packaging.
Indonesians have the saying: 4 sehat, 5 sempurna, which literally translates as, 4 healthy, 5
perfect. The four are a carbohydrate (mainly rice), a protein side dish, vegetables and fruits
while milk makes it five and perfect. This saying has been taught in schools for decades but has
faced challenges. Milk was promoted as a must for everyone, including babies, pregnant
mothers, growing children and even adults. However, some people suggest that a healthy
balanced diet is more important and that not everyone should see milk as a necessary part of
their diet. This view is widely shared by educated younger people in urban areas. More and
more consumers are willing to pay more for a healthy, balanced diet, which may include organic
fruits and vegetables.
As a collective society, eating together at the dining table is still the norm for many families.
Most Indonesians were taught to eat with their right hand and are not familiar with the use of
many spoons and forks. For some meals, mostly local dishes, it is considered a better option to
eat using ones bare hands.
Rice is the staple food in every meal of the day for most Indonesians. The old saying goes
that if one has not had rice in their meal breakfast, lunch or dinner one has not had a meal.
In urban areas, it is a necessity for households to own a rice cooker as it is used every day. To
accompany rice, vegetables with fish or chicken is considered a very adequate meal. For lowincome households who cannot afford fish or chicken, vegetables with tempe or tofu, which
costs less, is an option. Although rice is still the main food substance for many, a growing
number of Indonesians have accustomed themselves to replacing rice with other carbohydrates,
such as bread, noodles, potatoes, oatmeal and corn. Many young urbanites have bread or just a
cup of coffee for breakfast but usually look for rice at lunchtime.
Given their growing incomes, consumers are eating out more often. They like to try new and
interesting foods and see it as an opportunity to relax and treat themselves. This is the case in
major cities where many young people and couples have money and are much more
adventurous at trying new foods. In addition, many young couples in major cities are working full
time and earn double incomes but have less time to prepare food every day.
Having a cup of coffee and buying boutique bread from bakeries once a week is becoming
common for many young urbanites. Since Starbucks opened its first store in 2002, consumers in
major cities have been accustomed to having a cup of coffee both in their leisure time and busy
time. This has changed how people consume coffee. Traditionally, coffee was drunk by older
men on middle to low incomes. In addition, Indonesians preferred to drink tea. Now, coffee is
drunk by younger people on middle to high incomes. During their leisure time, they sit for a
couple of hours enjoying a cup of coffee with friends or family members. This is usually the case
for people with flexible working hours, such as entrepreneurs and people in creative industries.
Coffee shops become very crowded at the weekend or after office hours. Many young office
workers need a cup of coffee in the morning to start their day. Dozens of coffee shops have
opened, including global franchises and local shops. A cup of coffee costs Rp25,000-Rp45,000
(US$2 to US$4), depending on the store and location.
The Ramen craze
Most Indonesians living in cities are familiar with Japanese food. After the teriyaki and shabushabu wave many years ago, the sushi wave was in full swing about six years ago. In 2013,
ramen, a Japanese noodle soup dish with many different flavours and ingredient variations stole
the spotlight. It tastes similar to several Indonesian foods and is liked by many Indonesians. The

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

ramen craze started in major cities, like Jakarta and Bandung, but quickly spread to smaller
cities in Java. In Jakarta, consumers usually visit malls to get ramen. A meal can cost Rp40,000
(US$3.5)-Rp70,000 (US$5.1) in upscale malls in Jakarta. In smaller cities, affordable ramen is
available at small stores.
Furi, a consumer living in Purwokerto (a small city in Central Java), had his first ramen in
2013. In his blog post, he wrote, It tastes good, at least for the tongue of Javanese people. It
tastes fresh, spicy and most importantly the noodles are tasty. It seems like the restaurant made
the noodles themselves. A bowl of ramen at a small outlet in Purwokerto only costs Rp9,000
(US$0.75)-Rp11,000 (US$0.98). A blogger from Bandung, one of the largest cities in Indonesia,
dedicated his blog to sharing stories about ramen. In mid-2013, he decided to try the 30 most
delicious ramen dishes in Bandung. Indonesians love to talk and listen to their friends food
recommendations. It is common for office workers to travel for 30 minutes to reach popular
restaurants. Once they have tried the food, they talk about it and share the news.

Drinking Habits
Traditionally, drinking alcohol is frowned upon, mainly due to religious beliefs. Although
alcohol consumption has grown, it still has a negative image for many Indonesians, not only for
religious reasons but also because of its consequences on behaviour, such as drunk driving.
Older and wealthier people drink cocktails in nightclubs or wine with dinner on special
occasions. Younger, middle-class people buy cans of beer from nearby 24-hour mini-markets
and drink them with friends. Irresponsible drinking by teenagers and young adults is a major
concern for many parents and religious groups.
Carbonated drinks are not very popular either. Although more popular than alcohol, they have
never gained wide popularity. Aside from bottled water, Indonesians love tea, coffee and juice.
Bottled water is very popular among all consumers, either 240ml cups or 600ml. From street
vendors and bus drivers up to young executives and students, almost everybody drinks bottled
water. Some bring their water in reusable bottles. Aqua, a leading brand of bottled water, is
extremely successful and has become the generic name for bottled water in Indonesia. Bottled
tea is popular in small restaurants and eating places, and the leading brand, Teh Botol, is
becoming a generic name. Although not as popular as water and tea, coffee and juice have
gained more popularity in the last decade.
Infused water
Many urbanites believe that drinking a lot of water is good for their health and beauty. They
have adopted the 8 glasses of water a day habit for several years. Recently, many have
started to drink infused water. Most people put a slice of lemon in their glass of water. A
consumer stated: I drink water infused with lemon every day to help rinse out all the poison in
my body. It is a form of detoxification for my body in a simple way. Many people drink lemoninfused water to detox and believe that it can help maintain their health, including their digestive
system, as well as the beauty of their skin. Female urbanites who are always on the go leave
home with a bottle of water with a fresh slice of lemon. They re-fill their water bottle during the
day using the same slice of lemon.
Some are using other traditional natural ingredients and adding household spices to their
drinks. Wedang uwuh is water infused with household spices, believed to help maintain the
health. Ginger, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon are ingredients that are often mixed with water.
The difference with lemon-infused water is that boiled water is used to mix with the ingredients
to obtain their essence. Often people add in whatever spice is available in their kitchen.
Table 4

Eating and Drinking Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Passport

Consumer expenditure
(Rp per capita, at
constant prices)
Food
- Bread and cereals
- Meat
- Fish and seafood
- Milk, cheese and eggs
- Oils and fats
- Fruit consumer
- Vegetables consumer
- Sugar and confectionery
Coffee, tea and cocoa
Mineral waters, soft
drinks
fruit and vegetable
juices
Alcoholic drinks
- Beer
- Spirits
- Wine
Catering
Availability of fruit
and vegetables (kg per
capita per year)
Source:

Chart 4

Source:

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

4,428,553
1,504,009
293,560
607,125
334,894
289,102
214,243
866,647
140,532
106,793
221,160

4,143,335
1,110,960
317,417
606,215
405,878
251,072
280,992
823,463
174,319
78,337
211,761

5,871,035
1,625,892
404,982
846,191
618,831
368,408
466,853
1,094,989
239,878
113,532
318,332

6,131,670
1,653,301
433,817
902,698
661,682
380,299
492,424
1,138,858
251,208
116,281
329,102

6,375,360
1,698,925
460,862
946,617
696,824
390,772
512,506
1,177,564
264,558
119,748
342,921

7,294,187
1,871,630
542,077
1,105,869
823,005
443,811
589,003
1,342,557
312,647
135,926
399,637

18,826
17,034
665
1,127
924,574
66.4

15,709
14,330
572
807
1,461,814
92.5

19,350
17,273
616
1,461
1,663,705
110.2

19,707
17,528
616
1,563
1,749,266
110.8

20,342
18,061
622
1,659
1,825,372
111.1

22,101
19,551
656
1,894
2,151,967
112.4

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in


Consumer Expenditure on Food and Alcoholic Drinks 2000-2016

Euromonitor International

GROOMING AND FASHION

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Perceptions of Beauty
The definition of beauty for most Indonesians nowadays is dominated by physical features.
Females, for example, aspire to have a slim body, light skin and thick black hair. Men prefer to
have a moderate body size, lightly tanned skin and short hair. Javanese people are different
from Sundanese people, who are different from Maluku people. Sundanese people are known to
have lighter skin; Javanese people have light yellowish skin, while Maluku people usually have
slightly brown skin. Yet, lighter skin is becoming the standard of beauty. Dark complexion is
associated with menial labour while white skin is associated with a higher social standing and
cultural refinement. This is driven by the media through movies, celebrities, and especially TV
advertisements of beauty and personal care products.
Indonesian womens fashion and beauty tastes are easily influenced by celebrities, more
often local celebrities. In 2013, popular artists were Raisa, a singer, and Maudy Ayunda, the star
of popular movie Perahu Kertas. Both Raisa and Maudy Ayunda are inspirations for many
young Indonesian women, not only because they are young, beautiful and successful but also
because they are perceived as down to earth and sincere. Indonesian women in their 30s look
up to Dian Sastrowardoyo, a very famous artist who has one child yet has kept her beauty and
confident image. Aside from local celebrities, more young Indonesian women are defining
beauty based on Korean celebrities, such as Park Min Young, Yoon Eun Hye and Han Hyo Joo.
While most local artists are idolised for their physical beauty and real life behaviours, most
Korean artists are an inspiration for their physical beauty.
The perception of beauty for men has also been influenced by celebrities and product
advertisements. Although men in Indonesia perceive attractiveness as a physical attribute, they
also need other qualities, such as achievement in life. From a physical point of view, men are
considered handsome if their body is slightly muscular or slim, their skin is light or lightly tanned,
and their face is clean shaven. More recently, some men have started to wear a thin moustache
and a beard, but a clean shaven face is still the norm. A handsome man also ensures that he
has a clean face and body. Yet, successful men are considered more handsome than other
men.
Most Indonesian men do not idolise, or would not admit to idolise, a specific celebrity, but they
are influenced by celebrities through movies and advertisements. Many famous male celebrities,
such as Christian Sugiono (actor), Rio Dewanto (actor), Ariel (singer), Afghan (singer) and
Morgan Oey (singer), have become models for Indonesian men. Recently, there has been more
of an oriental flavour (Chinese descendants) among male celebrities, including Rio Dewanto
and Morgan Oey. International artists who also serve as models for men are British football
superstar David Beckham and Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt, while some younger Indonesian
males favour Korean superstar Lee Min Ho.

Female Grooming
The demand for personal care products has grown since 2005, and it is expected to continue
to grow over the next few years. Between 2005 and 2013, the demand for most categories in
beauty and personal care grew at a moderate to high pace, with the exception of oral care
products, which experienced a 13% decrease. The highest growth was in skin care.
Skin care products have become highly desirable due to the growing aspiration for beautiful,
light, and healthy skin. Indonesia is a tropical country, which encourages the use of skin care
products. Most Indonesian women use skin care products with whitening agents. Moreover,
many major cities are heavily polluted and many people travel by motorcycle. TV
advertisements show men and women riding a motorcycle and getting their face dirty and
greasy, which encourages them to take care of their skin.

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

The norm for Indonesians is to shower twice a day, in the morning before they start their daily
activities and in the late afternoon or at night once they are home. Ten years ago, it would have
been adequate for women to shower using soap and to shampoo their hair every other day.
These days, a shower usually includes using soap, shampoo, a face wash and many other
rituals afterwards. Many Indonesian women are very focused on grooming and wear make up
every day once they start to work. Only a small number of women start using make up regularly
at university.
Working women with a moderate disposable income buy skin care products from department
stores and supermarkets. Using a variety of skin care products, such as Ponds whitening
cream, that they feel improves their physical looks and helps them psychologically. Working
women feel the need to look clean and attractive because it gives them confidence at work and
when they meet people. They buy face wash and scrubs, face cream and make up. The most
used face creams have whitening qualities and some have a sun protection factor. Women use
different products for their body, face and hair. For their body, they regularly use liquid soap,
deodorants and scented body cream, which serves as a moisturiser. For their hair, they use
shampoo daily and at times hair moisturisers. The use of natural ingredients in products is not
an issue for consumers on moderate incomes, especially for their daily grooming. Influenced by
heavy advertising, they choose familiar brands from global companies, such as Rexona, Ponds,
Dove and Sunsilk. They buy local brands, such as Wardah, Mustika Ratu, Sari Ayu and Viva, or
affordable international brands of make-up from department stores and supermarkets. Aside
from being endorsed by many celebrities, these brands are considered reliable and provide
good quality at a reasonable price.
Women on high disposable incomes tend to choose brands from boutique companies, such
as The Body Shop, Kiehls and LOccitane. For them, the use of natural ingredients is important
and they are willing to pay more for it. Many also visit skin care clinics, such as the Erha Clinic,
which provide premium, comprehensive skin care solutions. They go to hair salons at least once
a week. Many spend Rp300,000 (US$25)-Rp1 million (USD$76) every month on skin care
clinics and weekly visits to beauty salons for massages, facials, manicures and other
treatments. They use mostly international brands of make-up, such as Revlon, Maybelline, SK-II
and Este Lauder. They buy expensive international brands, not because of the celebrity who
endorses the brand, but because of the perceived quality of the brands.
Although familiar to a small group of people, plastic surgery is uncommon. It is a rare topic of
discussion and, even if someone has had it, it is never spoken about. Most Indonesians have
religion-influenced beliefs that the human body is Gods perfect creation that should not be
tampered with.
Korean over western
Korean movies and artists are very popular in Indonesia. Many young Indonesians are heavily
influenced by Korean fashion and hairstyles. Young people, especially women, follow the news
on popular Korean artists through online sources. The main influence is through Korean movies.
Many are amazed at how perfect-looking Korean artists are. Young Indonesians look at the
clothes that Korean artists wear and find fashion inspiration from them. They also notice the
hairstyles of Korean artists.
Many Indonesian women choose Korean artists over Western artists because Koreans are
perceived as being similar to Indonesians, hence they relate more easily to them. Indonesians
believe that Koreans body shapes and sizes are about the same as theirs - not as tall or large
as Western women. Indonesian women can see themselves becoming like Koreans but have a
hard time picturing themselves becoming like Westerners.

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Young women are influenced by beauty bloggers


Many young females are following beauty blogs that give them up-to-date information on the
latest make up trends and product reviews. Only a handful of internet users in Indonesia write
content. The majority reads and shares content. Most young Indonesian women look for tips
and recommendations from women they can trust. They perceive beauty bloggers who are
about their age and have collected loyal followers as trustworthy sources.
The bloggers are mostly young females aged 20-30 living in major Indonesian cities; they are
quite adventurous and try different products from different brands. They have better access to
the latest trends in beauty. Many share their experiences and become references for many
young women. They choose and learn about brands through trial and word of mouth. Recently,
writing beauty blogs has spread to smaller cities.

Male Grooming
Most Indonesian men do not pay much attention to their grooming, especially men on low to
middle incomes in rural areas and taking a shower twice a day with soap and shaving once a
week, is enough for them. Brands are not of importance as they will use whatever soap or
shampoo is available in the bathroom. However, in cities, men have been introduced to
showering using a body wash and finishing off with deodorants and hair cream or gel. As there
is more pollution in cities, men who ride motorcycles every day really feel the need to wash once
they arrive at work and when they arrive home again. Some even shower and wash their face
more than twice a day. Furthermore, men have started to prefer brands that offer specific
benefits for men.
Men living in cities on higher incomes add skin care to their daily grooming. Moisturisers with
a sun protection factor are the most popular products. The moisturisers are primarily used on
their face and sometimes on their body as well. Working in air-conditioned offices has driven this
trend as it tends to dry the skin. Skin care clinics and salons are visited for treatments, such as
facial massages, manicures and pedicures.
Once they start to work, most men shave every other day to have a clean look. Most men also
have their hair cut short because long hair gives a negative image in a work environment. This
clean look is considered important to appear positive and professional when they meet other
people. Many men also use hair cream or gel to style their hair for the day. Many use colognes
and aftershave lotions as it makes them feel good and boosts their confidence at work.

Fashion Trends
Traditionally, Indonesians feel they must wear formal attires, more so than in most Western
countries. Most Indonesians still feel a little embarrassed about wearing only shorts and a t-shirt
in public places, except some young urbanites influenced by Western clothing styles. Batik is a
classic and safe choice for most occasions. Batik shirts, especially long-sleeved ones, can be
worn for almost all formal occasions. For many Indonesians, wearing batik fabric shows national
pride and, in many offices, employees are required to wear clothes made of batik cloth every
Friday. The norm of wearing semi-formal or formal clothes is starting to fade among younger
people who want to wear what makes them feel comfortable and portrays their personality.
Many counterfeit branded fashion goods are available. They give people a sense of pride and
prestige, as they aspire to wear popular brands like Nike and Adidas, as well as luxury brands,
such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton. Consumers can buy counterfeit Burberry bags from street
vendors not far from department stores that sell the original items. For Indonesians, the image
and prestige far outweighs the need to own an original. Due to their expensive prices, original
designer clothing and luxury products are reserved for rich people, socialites and celebrities.
Although it is a very niche market, it is growing due to better income levels.

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Traditional clothes include clothes made of batik, hijabs and kebayas. Batik fabrics have
patterns that reflect the specific culture of the region where they are produced. Batik fabric is still
very popular among Indonesians, from the young to the old, the rich to the poor. The hijab is an
Islamic outfit, which covers a womans whole body, usually leaving just the face and hands
uncovered. Today, more women are choosing to wear a hijab for religious reasons. The kebaya
is a traditional item of clothing for women, usually worn at specific formal events.
The clothes that Indonesian women wear every day are usually quite relaxed. As Indonesia is
a hot country, nobody uses layers of clothing, except when wearing hijabs. Women are easily
influenced by pop artists, especially younger women who aspire to wear international brands.
Fashion trends from Korea, Japan and Western countries dominate young urban womens
clothing styles. When Uniqlo and H&M fashion retail stores opened in Indonesia in 2013,
hundreds of young women lined up to shop there.
Distro stores are popular with young consumers
Distro stores, short for distribution stores, are independent clothing and apparel stores selling
their own brands. They started out offering limited production for some communities and have
now spread into the wider consumer market. Distro stores sell shoes, bags, trousers and other
items that reflect the personality of each independent brand and that of the youth in major
Indonesian cities. Bandung has been touted as the capital city for distro stores with dozens of
independent brands located in clustered areas, such as Jalan Riau. Bandung attracts thousands
of distro tourists, usually teenagers aged 13-20. Many of the tourists come from Bandung and
surrounding cities, especially Jakarta, which is just a three-hour drive away. They go there at the
weekend, stroll from one store to another and spend all day before deciding to buy just one or
two pieces of clothing. The centre for distro stores in Jakarta is located in the North Tebet area,
in South Jakarta, and has around 10 distro stores.
Most distro staff members are aged around 20, the same age as their customers; they are
usually university students working part time. There tends to be a bond and some familiarity
between the customers and the sales assistants; they enjoy chatting and exchanging
information on what is new in fashion. Handarini, a university student who was shopping at
Bloop, a famous distro store in Tebet, stated, In normal clothing stores, you definitely wont find
cool clothes. What I like best is that the materials are nice and the clothes are quality-made,
but theyre inexpensive, she added. The prices are reasonable, with a standard t-shirt costing
around Rp90,000 (US$7.5), Rp200,000 (US$16.7) for a jacket and Rp250,000 (US$20.8) for a
pair of shoes.
The areas with distro stores in Bandung and Jakarta have a variety of cafs aimed at young
consumers. Some cafs offer live music, mostly featuring local school or university campus
bands at the weekend to attract visitors and enliven the atmosphere.
Dress codes becoming the norm
Astrid Ariani Wijana, a marketing manager for a Japanese automotive company, revealed that
around 80% of the invitations she receives to product or brand launches and corporate
anniversaries ask the guests to abide by certain dress codes. Dress codes are actually
troublesome. There are times when I feel less than thrilled because they are too difficult.
However, I always try to follow the dress code as long as it is not too demanding, she stated.
Traditionally, only formal events had dress codes and most Indonesians could simply wear a
batik outfit. These days, formal events require dress codes, as well as informal and social
gatherings. Moreover, some events require unexpected dress codes. Astrid received an
invitation to an event with a Glam 20s theme, and the guests were asked to wear 1920s
outfits. As it was difficult for Astrid to find a suitable outfit, she tried to improvise by looking for

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Passport

loose clothes and a bandana in her wardrobe. Women in the capital often find themselves
looking for an outfit that matches a certain dress code.
Yola Septria, a marketing communications officer for an airline, indicated that she did not
mind buying a new outfit or accessories in order to match a particular dress code. There was
one event with the theme of a masquerade party. At that time I had to take longer to prepare
because I had to look for information about the costumes and accessories, she stated. She
added that it would be embarrassing to wear the wrong outfit while everybody else followed the
dress code.
As people learn about unique dress codes, they have the opportunity to look through more
clothes. They make use of old clothes, borrow from friends, rent or buy clothes. The demand for
costume hires has grown over the past few years. Devi Yuliana, owner of Foly Tely (a costume
hire store in Kedoya, West Jakarta) explained that more people are coming into her store
looking for unique costumes. Her customers are not only children, more adults are now looking
for costumes for events as well.
Hipster-influenced clothing
A blogger opened a discussion about hipsters in Indonesia and collected more than 30
definitions. Hipsters are basically young consumers who want to look different and cool. Yet, in
doing so, they look similar to one another and the clothes they wear are quite typical. The
hipster clothing style is becoming a stronger trend among urban men in their 20s and 30s. They
like to wear plaid or check shirts with long skinny trousers or jeans. They replace backpacks
with handbags or mailman-style bags, and some wear thick-framed glasses. This style is not
considered mainstream and is mostly followed by men in creative industries, such as
advertising, film production and the entertainment industry. This style is not common and
acceptable yet in most work environments. They require men to wear formal trousers and formal
or batik shirts. As a result, if a man can wear the hipster style to work, it makes him feel cool and
modern.
Because hipsters want to wear different styles, they try not to buy their clothes from
mainstream retailers, such as department stores and popular brand stores. They visit specialty
clothing retailers, including the distribution stores in Bandung and Jakarta and hipster-influenced
online shops, such as satuBaju.com and The Goods Dept.
Table 5

Grooming and Fashion Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

(Rp per capita, at constant prices)

Personal care consumer


expenditure
Colour cosmetics retail
sales
Fragrances retail sales
Hair care retail sales
Oral care retail sales
Men's grooming retail
sales
Skin care retail sales
Clothing consumer
expenditure
- Clothing materials
consumer expenditure
- Garments consumer
expenditure
- Other clothing

Euromonitor International

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

126,959.1

242,133.5

396,479.9

417,589.5

436,723.7

500,651.8

8.2

9.2

11.0

12.0

13.3

16.8

4.5
24.4
22.6
2.8

4.6
24.6
22.2
3.4

6.8
25.2
18.9
4.4

7.4
26.9
18.9
4.9

8.3
28.6
19.3
5.3

10.6
33.2
20.0
7.0

8.2
613,627.3

13.5
512,440.2

39.5
509,650.5

46.3
527,188.7

54.1
545,110.2

79.2
605,254.5

21,682.9

15,835.4

11,618.3

11,680.6

11,664.7

12,065.4

526,812.4

444,005.0

447,573.2

463,802.8

480,093.4

533,926.2

25,139.0

18,763.1

16,350.3

16,367.2

16,764.4

18,527.9

32

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

consumer expenditure
- Clothing cleaning,
repair and hire
consumer expenditure
Footwear consumer
expenditure
Source:

Chart 5

Source:

Passport

39,993.1

33,836.7

34,108.7

35,338.0

36,587.7

40,735.1

129,158.3

108,293.2

97,805.2

99,732.2

102,418.3

110,586.6

Euromonitor International

Chart: Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in


Consumer Expenditure on Clothing, Footwear and Personal Care 2000-2016

Euromonitor International

HEALTH AND WELLNESS


Attitudes To Health and Well-being
Indonesia has yet to establish a national healthcare system that provides insurance for people
being hospitalised. Several provinces and cities have strived to establish such a system and are
actually in the middle of doing so. Healthcare is still perceived as expensive, but, when health
insurance is half or fully supported by the government, people go to the nearest hospital.
In 2012, the newly elected Governor of Jakarta, Jokowi, launched the Kartu Jakarta Sehat
(KJS), a healthcare card for Jakarta residents giving discounted or free healthcare. The
programme is aimed at people on low incomes who are willing to go to local health centres,
called Puskesmas (Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat). The number of Puskesmas and hospital
patients has increased since the programme was launched. A nationwide programme was since
introduced (BPJS), but its effect is unclear due to complicated administration and bureaucracy.
In 2013, total health expenditure accounted for 3.5% of Indonesias GDP, a 25% increase
from the 2.8% recorded in 2005. Total health expenditure has grown significantly, from US$35.6
per capita in 2005 to US$123 per capita in 2013. This shows the growing importance of health
and wellbeing for Indonesians. Private health has always had a much higher share of total
health expenditure than public health. Private health contributed 71.2%, compared to 28.8% for
public health, in 2013. Private health only accounted for 67.7% of expenditure in 2005. Since the
government has not been able to provide a good healthcare system, many Indonesians on

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33

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

middle to high incomes have looked for private health options. Employees usually get health
insurance through their company and many feel that it is adequate. Entrepreneurs and other
professionals on high incomes usually buy their own insurance. Overall, more Indonesians are
becoming interested in health insurance.
Unit-linked products, a combination between insurance and investment, have been
successful. Most Indonesians do not really want insurance; they are unwilling to pay for an
intangible benefit. Yet, with unit-linked products, it is estimated that, in ten years time, the
portion of money allocated to investment will be sufficient to cover the insurance costs in the
following years. This gives the impression that a customer only needs to pay for the first ten
years, and many Indonesians buy into it. Most people do not want to learn or read details about
products, but they like easy products and the concept that, after paying for ten years,
everything will be taken care of. One major shortcoming is the over-intrusive approach of many
sales agents. Unit-linked products have also been challenged by many financial planners,
arguing that, as hybrid products, they do not provide optimum insurance and investment. AXAMandiri has chosen to offer more traditional health insurance, sold through Bank Mandiri, the
largest bank in Indonesia.
To maintain their health, more Indonesians living in cities are choosing to live a healthier life.
They are starting to realise how the demanding city life has degraded their health. Healthier
food, exercise and, lately, food supplements have become more common. Healthier food may
include less fried food, organic food, and greater portions of vegetables and fruits. Going to the
gym, yoga classes, running and practicing futsal are popular. Food supplements include a wide
range of herbal and modern medicines. Most Indonesians still prefer herbal ingredients in their
food supplements. They also keep standard household medicines for quick self-medication. The
most common minor illnesses are the flu, headaches, colds and coughs.
Many Indonesians use traditional and herbal remedies, including massage, herbal medicines
and spiritual treatments. Some people view herbal medicines as the right option as their parents
used them and most of the time it is cheaper. Many modern people perceive herbal medicines
as more natural for the human body without negative side effects. Honey, black poppy seeds
and dates are some of the most popular herbal treatments. All three are influenced by Islamic
teachings and believed to be effective as prevention. Many Indonesians, especially in rural
areas, prefer to self-medicate. At times, they fear what the doctor might diagnose, but one of the
main reasons is the cost associated with going to the doctor.

Obesity
Obesity was hardly known in Indonesia, a developing country, until the last decade. Only very
few people had access to a high-calorie diet. As consumers eating habits and lifestyles have
changed in the cities, obesity has started to creep in. More consumers are exposed to high-fat
foods and snacks, and at the same time many are finding it hard to get enough exercise to
maintain an ideal body weight. The number of obese (BMI 30 or more) people (aged 15+) has
increased steadily since 2000 when the obesity rate was just 1.6%. In 2011, 3% of the
population (aged 15+) was obese and 3.3% in 2013. This number is expected to grow further, to
reach 3.7% in 2016. The number of overweight (BMI 25-30) people (aged 15+) has also
increased steadily since 2000 when only 14.1% of people (aged 15+) were overweight. In 2011,
18% of the population was overweight and 18.6% in 2013. This number is expected to reach
19.5% in 2016. This phenomenon has also affected children. Most parents still think that giving
more food to their children is good. Most parents tell their children to makan yang banyak,
which literally means eat a lot. Moreover, many parents are not very selective when buying
food for their children.
For some young educated families, this is starting to change. Parents are becoming more
informed on health issues and obesity. Street vendors selling food outside the schools have

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

become a major concern for many parents, who want schools to provide healthier options in
their cafeterias and to ban children from buying snacks from street vendors near schools.
However, this can only be implemented in expensive private schools because it would be more
expensive to provide healthier snacks. Moreover, most consumers on low and middle incomes
are not well informed on health issues and snacking.
According to a survey by AIA Insurance in late 2012, compared to the average in Asia (53%),
fewer Indonesians want to lose weight (30%). They are less concerned about obesity (17%),
compared to their Asian counterparts (26%). However, most agreed that this issue will continue
to grow in the future.

Attitudes To Smoking
Indonesia has one of the largest smoking populations in the world and remains one of the few
countries in the world that has not ratified the UN Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(UN FCTC).
Consumer expenditure on tobacco has grown steadily, from Rp788,200 per capita in 2005 to
almost Rp1.1 million in 2013. This number is expected to reach over Rp1.2 million in 2016. The
smoking prevalence amongst adults has also grown steadily, from 32.5% in 2005 to 36% in
2013. However, this number is projected to grow very slowly in the coming years, reaching just
36.4% in 2016. The slow growth is mostly attributed to the increase in tax, which rises almost
every year. In 2012, the government increased the tax by around 12%, more than twice the
inflation rate. In 2013, the tax rose by around 6%.
The smoking prevalence among adult males has grown steadily, from 61% in 2005 to 66.4%
in 2013. This means that two thirds of adult males smoke. The smoking prevalence among adult
females is very low but showing a higher growth rate. It grew by over 35% between 2005 and
2013, from 4.5% to 6.2%. Women who smoke are usually young working unmarried urbanites.
Like men, women smoke to fit in with their social group and have a cool image.
The government has actually started to try to dissuade people from smoking by placing
smoking restrictions in selected public areas. In Jakarta, for example, the law issued in 2008
states that it is prohibited to smoke in public buildings, schools, hospitals and public transport
vehicles. However, the government has not put much effort to communicate, persuade and
reinforce the law. It has imposed smoking restrictions in every school but allocated very little
resource to educate people and enforce the law. It took some time for the teachers themselves
to stop smoking in the school areas. Given poor discipline and ignorance, many people continue
to smoke freely. In some rural areas, many people are not aware of the dangers of smoking,
and it is very common for fathers to walk with their children or carry babies while smoking.
Superfoods in daily diets
I have been really interested in adding superfoods into my daily menu. For now I have just
ordered Goji Berry, Flaxseed, Chia ... although I dont really know how to use them...haha,
maybe I will just add some flaxseed with yoghurt and banana for my breakfast, expressed a
young mom in an online forum discussion. Another young mom responded by suggesting
quinoa, the most complete non-animal protein with a low Glycemic Index (GI). Quinoa seems to
be one of the most popular superfoods, as several other moms shared that they consume it.
One mom shared her favourite recipe (quinoa with raisins, almonds and maple syrup) while
another one stated that her favourite was quinoa paella because it is very easy to make. Some
moms stated that superfoods help improve sore muscles and give energy. Many young moms
are trying superfoods after learning from other moms and celebrities, such as Nadya
Hutagalung.
Superfoods are not cheap, especially in Indonesia, as most are imported. Only upscale
supermarkets and some online shops sell them. One kilogram of golden flaxseeds, for instance,

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Passport

costs Rp150,000 (US$12.5) while a kilogram of brown flaxseeds costs Rp90,000 (US$7.5).
Quinoa is more expensive, costing Rp110,000 (US$9.17) for 400 grams. Chia seeds are among
the most expensive, costing at least Rp700,000 (US$58.3) per kilogram. Yet, as incomes and
expectations of better health grow, many consumers are buying and consuming superfoods.
Table 6

Health and Wellness Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

Total health
expenditure (US$ per
capita)
Share of total health
expenditure in GDP (%
of total GDP)
- Public health
expenditure's share of
total health
expenditure (% of total
health expenditure)
- Private health
expenditure's share of
total health
expenditure (% of total
health expenditure)
Healthy life expectancy
at birth: total
population (years)
Healthy life expectancy
at birth: males (years)
Healthy life expectancy
at birth: females (years)
Average supply of food
calories per day
(calories per capita)
Average supply of
protein per day (grams
per capita)
Average supply of fat
per day (grams per
capita)
Obese population (BMI
30 kg/sq m or more) (%
of population aged 15+)
Overweight population
(BMI 25-30 kg/sq m or
more) (% of population
aged 15+)
Tobacco consumer
expenditure (Rp000 per
capita, at constant
prices)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult
population (% of total
adult population)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult male
population (% of male

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2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

15.1

35.6

95.0

110.0

123.0

n/a

2.0

2.8

2.7

3.1

3.5

n/a

36.2

32.3

34.1

31.2

28.8

n/a

63.9

67.7

65.9

68.8

71.2

n/a

56.2

58.5

62.0

62.4

62.8

63.9

55.6

57.5

61.2

61.6

62.0

63.0

56.8

59.6

62.7

63.2

63.6

64.8

2,431.0

2,483.0

2,698.9

2,723.5

2,746.4

2,801.1

52.7

54.1

59.2

59.1

59.1

60.0

43.3

48.8

56.4

56.7

56.9

58.4

1.6

2.1

3.0

3.1

3.3

3.7

14.1

15.9

18.0

18.3

18.6

19.5

706.7

788.2

992.2

1,048.0

1,089.5

1,215.1

30.1

32.5

35.6

35.8

36.0

36.4

56.0

61.0

66.0

66.3

66.4

66.7

36

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

adult population)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult female
population (% of female
adult population)
Source:

Chart 6

Source:

Passport

4.8

4.5

5.8

6.0

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Real Growth in Public and Private Expenditure on Health Compared with


Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth 2000-2013

Euromonitor International

SHOPPING HABITS
Main Household Shop
Most urbanites do their household shopping at least once a month, the ritual is known as
belanja bulanan, which literally means monthly shopping. It is usually done during the first
week after peoples monthly salary is paid. Employees are usually paid at the end of the month.
The first and part of the second week after the salary is paid is when many households do their
monthly shopping and spend more money. This period is also known as tanggal muda, which
means early dates (calendar days).
Traditionally, households used to shop at traditional markets as they are cheaper and prices
can be bargained. Although the majority of household spending still goes to traditional grocery
retailers, spending in modern grocery retailers is growing much faster, particularly in urban
areas. Convenience stores have grown in popularity significantly particularly as they cover
urban and suburban areas. Spending per household at modern grocery retailers increased from
nearly Rp1.1 million in 2005 to Rp2.6 million in 2013; the fastest growing retailers are
convenience stores, where spending grew from Rp219,000 in 2005 to over Rp1.1 million in
2013. Spending at traditional grocery stores grew from Rp12.6 million per household in 2005 to
Rp13.2 million in 2013.
Hypermarkets have become the favourite place to shop for people in the cities. This is
because customers like their clean, modern, bright atmosphere along with their competitive

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6.8

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

prices and huge selections of products. In Indonesia, there are no regulations as to where a
hypermarket selling over 30,000 items can open. Modern retailers, including convenience
stores, always have a clean and bright atmosphere along with air conditioning, which many
consumers like after a hot day at work.
For the past five years, convenience stores, also known as mini-markets, have been
mushrooming everywhere. Led by rivals Alfamart and Indomaret, nearly every street in major
cities has a mini-market. Consumers like the convenience of being able to shop near their
housing areas, as most stores are a five-ten minute walk away. This habit of shopping nearby
already existed, given the presence of traditional warungs, very small retailers owned by one
person or family. These small retailers are one of the most popular places for additional
shopping. Consumers habit stayed, but now their need is met by modern convenience stores
rather than traditional warungs. After the flood of convenience stores, many warungs were
forced to shut down.
More recently, many traditional markets have replaced their dirty, wet areas with clean, dry
and bright shopping areas. Although not many have air conditioners, many moms shop at
traditional markets as their parents did. These new traditional, yet modern, markets are known
as pasar modern, which means modern market. More moms are choosing to go to a pasar
modern because it is cheaper and prices can be bargained. Moms tend to manage household
shopping activities and many are quite flexible about where to shop.
More grocery shopping is done at upscale supermarkets, such as Ranch Market, Kem Chicks
and Food Hall. Located in the wealthiest areas of Jakarta, these supermarkets offer similar food
to that offered by supermarkets in Australia and the US. Many products are imported, thus quite
expensive. Local products are also available, including high-quality proteins, fruits and
vegetables. Many families on high incomes still go to regular modern retailers, like Carrefour,
but also do a significant amount of monthly shopping there. Some of the wealthiest consumers
and many expatriates do almost all their shopping there.
During the monthly shopping, households spend a large amount of their monthly budget on
regular expenditures, such as food (rice, protein side dishes and snacks) and non-food,
including cleaning items and personal care products. Although it is called monthly shopping,
and most households do it once a month, some do it twice a month. For some families, the
monthly shopping becomes a family trip and children come along. However, not many retailers
provide child-safe trolleys, childrens activities or areas.
In addition to the monthly shopping, most households shop every day or every other day.
Vegetables are the most in demand, and it is very common for mobile vegetable vendors to
come to housing areas early in the morning. The vendors usually come before dawn and push a
cart full of fresh vegetables at a bargain price. It is very common for housing complexes or areas
to have one or two dedicated vegetable vendors that have sold in those areas for many years.
Besides vegetables, vendors push carts with other products through housing areas. They sell
bread, tofu and tempe, which makes it easier for households to shop.

Shopping for Big-ticket Items


Most Indonesians do some research before purchasing big-ticket items. The research is not
sophisticated. A popular source of information is word of mouth. Indonesians like to talk, and
they certainly talk about their big-ticket purchases. Online research is growing in popularity
among young urbanites who compare brands, product features, prices and sometimes
consumer reviews. After the initial research, they usually have a number of products and brands
in mind when they walk into a store. Most big-ticket items are still purchased in brick-and-mortar
stores. Although advertisements help raise brand awareness and credibility, word of mouth,
online research and stores salespeople have the most influence.

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

The decision to buy big-ticket items takes a while and tends to involve mainly the wife and the
husband, but it differs depending on the product. Buying a house, for instance, is a gruelling
process that can take several years, researching the location, the property developer and the
price and listening to other peoples experiences. Then, people research the bank to provide the
mortgage. Again, friends and relatives experiences greatly influence the final decisions.
Traditionally, most Indonesians buy a family car that can accommodate six to seven people.
This is why the best-selling car models are large, such as the Toyota Kijang, the Toyota Avanza,
and more recently the Daihatsu Xenia. A family car must be able to carry the family and
relatives. Some young couples who plan to have only two children are more adventurous; they
opt for sedans and cool hatchbacks. The husband decides on the brand and model while the
wife may decide on the colour of the car. For furniture, both the wife and the husband have a
say but usually the wife chooses the style and colour.
For household appliances, such as refrigerators, the wife usually has a say, but the husband
sets the budget and finalises the decision. Buying a refrigerator usually does not take as much
time as buying a washing machine or air conditioner. The wife simply needs a large enough
refrigerator since few people notice the differences between brands. Some consumers can
differentiate between the features and technologies of different brands and models of washing
machines and air conditioners. Yet, most wives simply want for the home appliance to function
as expected: air conditioners blow cold air and washing machines wash clothes. For TVs, the
husband usually decides on the size and model.

Personal Shopping
Most consumers on middle and high incomes in large cities shop for clothing, footwear and
other personal items at malls, which are the favourite place to visit because of convenience,
choice, and comfort. In Jakarta, more than 170 malls offer a variety of products. In Surabaya,
the second largest city in Indonesia, at least 25 malls cater to around 4 million consumers. In
most large cities, the number of malls is growing. Some malls target high-income consumers by
offering designer brands and upscale products. Other malls offer moderately priced clothes for
middle-income families. Almost every mall has a department store, hypermarket or supermarket
and food court. Many young families go to the mall not only to shop but also to spend some
leisure time at the weekend.
Most malls offer a complete range of clothes, footwear, bags and books, along with a wide
selection of restaurants. Recently, young urbanites have been going to department stores, as
well as branded stores, such as Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, Forever 21 and The Goods Dept.

Shopping Online
The internet penetration rate was about 17.1% in 2013, and a significant number of people
access the internet from their mobile phones. Among internet users, a small but growing
percentage has shopped online. Most online shoppers are female; they often buy clothes, shoes
and bags.
The number of people who shop online is expected to grow at a rapid pace as more people
are getting used to it and more online shops are created. Indonesians started to shop online
about six years ago through online discussion forums. The most popular discussion forum was
Kaskus.co.id. Payment involved transferring the money to a third party account or simply
transferring the money first, trusting that the seller would send the goods. After BlackBerry
devices became popular in 2008, consumers started to use them as an online selling and
buying platform. BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) groups are still the most popular place to shop
online. Almost all the shops that sell through BBM groups are individual stores owned by one
person. In many cases, the person is a friend, a relative or a friend of a friend. Another popular

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

place to shop online is Facebook, as well as classified ads like Tokobagus. In addition,
consumers shop at online retailers, such as Lazada, Blibli, Zalora, and Rakuten.
An avid online shopper, Miranti, likes to buy clothes and shoes online. Miranti buys apparel
online because it is fun. I can spend between Rp300,000 [US$26.50] and Rp400,000 on
fashion items, something that I cant do with electronics, which are relatively expensive, she
stated. Miranti thinks that shopping on line is the best way to buy clothes. A recent study of
online shoppers by Google Indonesia reveals that Indonesian male and female online shoppers
are more interested in apparel than any other items.
Shopping for big-ticket items online
Although most consumers buy big-ticket items from brick-and-mortar stores, more are buying
them through online stores. In major cities, consumers prefer to visit large retailers over small or
individual stores. Since the launch of Bhinneka.com, the pioneer in Indonesia, selling computers
and laptops online, more people are getting used to shopping online for big-ticket items,
especially smartphones - costing Rp2 million (US$166.7) to Rp3 million (US$250) - and
gadgets. It is still uncommon for people to buy a refrigerator or washing machine online. Some
people are starting to buy TVs and washing machines online, but it may take time for more
people to get used to it.
Trust was once a factor, but now people have seen that the websites are real and deliver
what is paid for. The payment method was also once an obstacle because credit cards were
needed. These days, most large online retailers offer a wide array of payment methods,
including cash on delivery, which suits almost every customer. One blogger shared her
experience of buying her smartphones from Lazada, a large online retailer. She loved the
convenience of online shopping and was happy to learn that she could pay by cash on delivery.
Shopping online for daily needs
Middle- to high-income families are always trying to find better quality food at a reasonable
price. After hypermarkets, upscale supermarkets and convenience stores, online grocery
shopping is now becoming an option. Most moms would like to save time by doing most of their
grocery shopping online, but the current players are not perceived as doing a good job.
Carrefour, for example, the largest modern retailer in Indonesia, has an online shop called click
and go. Some moms who tried this service were surprised to find that, although they can shop
and pay online, they still have to pick up the groceries themselves. Most moms expect online
grocery shopping to be the same as online shopping for everything else; they select, order and
pay online and wait for the goods to be delivered without leaving their homes.
Sukamart.com is an online store that sells groceries. One mother likes the convenience of
choosing from a wide range of groceries from her computer. Unlike Carrefour, Sukamart allows
customers to choose and pay online and have their shopping delivered. Although some
products are slightly more expensive, she does not care. She loves the service and the option to
pay by cash on delivery.
One mother of two, shared that shopping online has saved her a lot of effort and time. When
she was pregnant with her second baby, she could not shop for all the baby items to prepare for
the birth. A couple years ago, she discovered that Bilna, which specialises in baby products, had
launched an online store, with a nice layout and a complete product range. She could browse
for hours, looking for baby items, such as diaper bags and breast pads. It saved time and
especially the energy to go through Jakartas traffic and in and out of stores. She has since
remained a loyal customer of Bilna.com.
Table 7

Shopping Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

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Rp '000 per household, at constant prices

Grocery retailers'
- Modern grocery
retailers'
-- Convenience stores'
-- Forecourt retailers'
-- Hypermarkets'
-- Supermarkets'
Traditional grocery
retailers'
-- Food/drink/tobacco
specialists'
-- Independent small
grocers'
-- Other grocery
retailers'
Apparel and footwear
specialist retailers'
Electronics and
appliance specialist
retailers'
Health and beauty
specialist retailers'
Home and garden
specialist retailers'
Leisure and personal
goods specialist
retailers'
Mixed retailers'
Other non-grocery
retailers'
Internet retailing
Source:

Chart 7

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

13,926.2
720.6

13,696.1
1,095.8

14,133.3
1,911.4

15,095.9
2,247.0

15,831.6
2,609.4

17,477.7
3,253.4

49.7
138.9
532.1
13,205.5

218.7
0.1
300.6
574.7
12,600.2

650.7
6.3
474.2
780.2
12,221.9

891.3
7.1
505.9
842.7
12,848.9

1,144.7
8.4
547.2
909.2
13,222.2

1,558.4
10.6
649.7
1,034.8
14,224.3

184.0

158.8

155.1

163.1

171.1

199.7

5,777.5

4,853.5

4,201.0

4,338.7

4,463.7

4,866.8

7,244.0

7,588.0

7,865.7

8,347.0

8,587.5

9,157.7

2,276.1

1,978.4

1,681.9

1,705.3

1,729.1

1,858.3

1,005.3

1,121.5

1,830.7

2,116.1

2,342.6

2,860.2

844.6

701.4

693.6

729.0

764.2

894.9

705.1

698.1

856.2

914.5

959.4

1,131.2

851.3

694.6

688.4

731.7

770.6

915.8

530.5
1,545.7

506.6
1,322.8

526.7
1,108.0

558.6
1,092.6

592.9
1,075.4

718.4
1,043.5

1.2

65.2

78.4

93.1

146.9

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Index of Retail Sales through Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Internet


Retailing 2000-2016

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Source:

Euromonitor International

LEISURE AND RECREATION


Staying in
Indonesians take part in many activities, ranging from the ones they undertake in their own
houses to the communal activities they enjoy with neighbours. Communal activities are more
common at the weekend since on weekdays most people have to go to work or to school. For
most housewives who stay at home, the main activities are taking care of the family by cooking
and cleaning the house. In rural areas, it is very common for children to go out and play with
their friends in the afternoon or to attend local religious classes while their mothers prepare
dinner. In urban areas, most adults are busy working and children are busy with school and
extra classes. In the afternoon, the children come home and watch TV, rest and do their
homework.
The most popular activity is watching TV. More households now own a colour TV set, from
67.2% of households in 2005 to 74.2% in 2013. This number is expected to increase to 76.5% in
2016. The ownership of cable and satellite TV systems has increased significantly. Cable TV
reached only 0.8% of households in 2005 and 4.8% in 2013; it is expected to reach 6.1% of
households in 2016. Satellite TV ownership grew from 8.9% in 2005 to 20.1% in 2013. This
number is expected to reach 23.7% in 2016.
Currently, 16 national channels and several cable and satellite providers offer TV
programmes. National TV stations offer a variety of programmes; the popular ones include local
soap operas (sinetron), infotainment (gossip and entertainment) shows, entertainment talk
shows and music shows. RCTI, Trans TV and Trans7 are among the top national stations, while
Metro TV and TVOne are national stations dedicated to news. Most low- to middle-income
households watch national TV stations, whose programmes tend to be lighter. These
consumers watch programmes that entertain and update them on the latest artists. Cable and
satellite TV are reserved for middle- to upper-income households and offer a variety of more
sophisticated programmes, mostly in English. Many educated high-income consumers perceive
most programme content on national TV as fruitless and even negative.
The ownership of internet-enabled computers has grown very fast. In 2013, 8.4% of
households had internet-enabled computers, a huge leap from the 1% in 2005. High-income
households in major cities are usually the ones that have internet-enabled computers. Middle-

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

income consumers access the internet through cheap smartphones, laptops and tablets. The
ownership of mobile telephones has increased: in 2013, 82.5% of households had a mobile
telephone, against only 19.9% in 2005.
Internet penetration amounted to around 17.1% of the population in 2013. However, it is
growing. It is estimated that, in 2014, 46.8 million Indonesians will be internet users. The main
users are young people and moms.
The most popular device to access the internet is the smartphone. A cheap smartphone from
a local brand costs around Rp400,000 (approximately US$35); a more expensive one from a
global brand costs Rp2 million to Rp5 million (approximately US$180 to US$450). These days,
everyone wants a smartphone for functionality and prestige reasons. Smartphones enable
middle- and even low-income consumers to access the internet. The second most popular
device is a laptop, followed by personal computers and tablets.
In major cities, it is becoming more common for family members to look at their own screen
on a smartphone, tablet or TV set. Video game consoles are still very rare and not very popular.
Only 0.3% of households in 2005 had a video game console; ownership has remained stagnant
and is expected to remain the same in 2016. Video games are not very popular mainly because
they are expensive. A Sony PlayStation 3 costs Rp3 million to Rp4 million. For the same amount
of money, consumers can buy a good smartphone or decent tablet and play dozens of games
for free. Indonesians who like playing games designed for large screens prefer to use their
computers and laptops and counterfeit software.
The Indonesian society is communal, and this remains true for most, especially in rural areas.
In many housing complexes, regular gatherings are organised, such as an arisan or a more
religious activity, like pengajian. Some Indonesians join one or two groups, based on where
they live, their work place or their friends. The gatherings usually take place once a month. An
arisan is a rotating savings and credit group; every group member pays a specified amount of
money to one group member each month. The group member who receives the money can
keep it, but most of the time it is spent to hold an arisan event at their home or at a restaurant.
Arisan events usually consist of women of similar ages who gather in one of the members
home for an afternoon snack. Religious gatherings (pengajian) are held at mosques and in
homes and involve a thematic lecture on religious teachings.
Indonesians like to talk with one another and now do so online and on mobiles. BlackBerry
Messenger (BBM) used to be the must-have application, along with a mobile handset. Since
2012, WhatsApp has replaced BBM as the number one chat application that can be used on
multiple types of mobile handsets. According to Stratego, a social media consultant in
Indonesia, WhatsApp has 43% of mobile users, BBM has 37% and LINE 36%. Other notable
players include WeChat and KakaoTalk. Many chat applications are free; they promote their
services using local superstars, which grabs the attention of people on middle incomes.
Indonesians are very active on popular social media networks, especially Facebook and
Twitter. Over 90% of internet users in Indonesia access social media sites. Indonesia had 42.2
million internet users in 2013, more than 63 million Facebook accounts and 33 million daily
users of Facebook. Indonesia is among the top five largest Facebook markets; it is also one of
the largest Twitter markets with 29 million users in 2013. Jakarta is often quoted as the Twitter
capital. In 2013, several other social media sites, such as Path and Instagram, gained popularity
among high-income urbanites. Path connections are limited to 150; they focus on close circle
interactions. In early 2014, Path had 4 million users in Indonesia. Most Indonesian social media
users are not content producers. They tend to observe, enjoy and comment.

Going Out
Many major cities are growing rapidly as they attract people through urbanisation and money
through investment. In an environment thriving with opportunities, everyone fights harder to

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

succeed. Work hard - play hard has started to be some young executives mantra. Many of
these executives are aged 22-29 and finish work at 6pm. In the major cities, between 5pm and
7pm, the traffic is terrible. Consequently, many young executives choose to hang out with
friends after work and go home after 8pm. Many are not married yet, so it is not a problem to
come home late. Given that they have a decent disposable income and no family to support,
they usually eat out. They visit restaurants and coffee shops, or go to the movies or the gym.
Most Indonesians living in cities look forward to relaxation from their intense daily routines.
Young executives, young couples, and young families on middle to high incomes look forward to
their leisure time. In the cities, the traffic is worse at the beginning of the month, when most
people have just received their monthly salary. The streets, entertainment venues, malls and
shopping places are more crowded as people go out to spend money. After the 15th of the
month, many people spend less and refrain from going out if they can.
Live music concerts are quite popular. Middle- to low-income consumers typically prefer
mainstream pop music and dangdut music. Most of the artists are local Indonesian artists.
People on middle and high incomes prefer watching pop, rock and jazz music shows by national
and international artists. Indonesians on high incomes enjoy watching international superstars
and some are willing to travel to Singapore, Malaysia or Australia to catch a concert.
Early adopters of smart TV
Many people on high incomes are looking to buy smart TVs because they combine all the
screens that they use. Smart TVs, sometimes called Android TVs, combine a regular TV with an
internet-enabled computer. They enable people to watch TV and go online, to watch popular
videos or check their Facebook news updates. One consumer stated that it is just like bringing
the internet into the living room on a bigger screen. Another consumer explained why he chose
a Smart TV over a 3D TV. He bought a 32-inch Samsung Smart TV for a relatively affordable
price - Rp4.7 million (US$391.7). As a comparison, a standard LED TV from a well-known
brand costs at least Rp3 million (US$250). He preferred a Smart TV because he felt that he
would have to buy a much larger TV screen to enjoy 3D TV and it would cost significantly more.
Also, he hates using 3D glasses, which hurt his ears. Using a Smart TV does require a stable
internet connection, but it is possible subscribe to home internet monthly packages.
Consumers who buy Smart TVs are usually on high incomes and early adopters who
understand the new technology and its benefits. Therefore, they are willing to pay a higher price
than for standard LED TVs. Smart TVs. With the new Android system in recent models of Smart
TVs, consumers can use a variety of applications from Google Play, such as Drag & Drop and
Live Wallpaper. The demand for Smart TVs is projected to increase due to the high internet
usage in Indonesia.
Anti-mall weekend
The need for leisure and relaxation in cities with limited public open spaces has driven people
to go to malls and shopping centres every weekend. Most major cities have many malls offering
entertainment and food options, which appeal to many young families and young couples. Yet,
some people have challenged the habit, asking people to try other alternatives and stop going to
malls at the weekend. They suggest that it is not good for families to spend every weekend
there. They call themselves the Wiken Tanpa ke Mall community, which literally means
weekends without going to malls. Why should we go to malls when there are so many other
alternatives that are not boring and more creative? according to the community spokesperson.
Most members are aged 30-40 and have children. The community also promotes the need to
pay more attention to the environment, which is difficult to do if people spend most of their
leisure time in malls and shopping centres. Alternatives include the Ragunan Zoo, the beach at
Tanjung Priok, museums, the planetarium, parks, old bakeries and the old Post Office in Cikini,

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CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Jakarta. Using their website and Facebook account, they list local events that promote the
environment and local culture, such as the Kampung Betawi, a traditional event that presents
local Jakarta culture and culinary traditions.
A group of mostly young professionals, known as Gardening Indonesia, joined the global
urban farming movement, converting vacant patches of land near Jakartas skyscrapers into
lush green vegetable gardens. They grow tomatoes, cucumbers, corn and chillies where
dumping grounds once stood. Their goals are to encourage people to be healthy and to build a
green city while saving money on grocery bills.

Sport and Fitness


Indonesia is not known for sports and most people do not exercise regularly. In rural areas,
however, people undertake physical activities as part of their daily lives. The most popular
sports are football and badminton. Indonesians love football and have a national football league.
Badminton is the only sport that has brought Indonesia multiple Olympic gold medals. Yet, it is
not as popular as it was ten years ago. Nowadays, children and teenagers have a variety of
options to choose from, such as basketball, futsal, softball, martial arts, and tennis. Few public
sport facilities are available, such as football fields, basketball courts or running tracks. Facilities
that require a membership are relatively expensive and are only accessible to people on high
incomes.
Over the past few years going to the gym and working out or taking classes has been popular
with many young adults, especially urbanites. Many want to stay healthy, fit and attractive.
Monthly gym membership fees vary, from Rp120,000 to Rp600,000 (approximately US$10 to
US$51). Many gyms are located in upscale malls in the cities. High-class gyms can cost over
Rp1 million (approximately US$85); they are usually located in secluded areas of cities not in
malls. Over the past two years, running has been popular among young adults who seek a
healthier lifestyle, want to look cool and keep up with the latest trends.
Amateurs using professional running gear
As running has become popular with many young urbanites, the demand for running clothes
and apparel has risen. A pair of good running shoes can cost over Rp1 million (US$84). Avid
runners usually have two or three pairs of good running shoes, which they upgrade every year
or every other year. Runners also buy dri-fit clothing, sunglasses, running caps and running
socks. A runners gear can cost more than Rp4 million (US$330), with the shoes and shirts
accounting for about half.
Avid runners usually train with a running group two or three times a week. They also
participate in running competitions at least once a month, such as 5K or 10K races or half
marathons. Some run for the joy of running and fall in love with it. Others want a sport that is
interesting and running happens to be considered cool these days and has become a social
activity. Indonesians love to show off; runners can meet other people and show off their gear
and running achievements.
Runners also invest in other running related products such as compression wraps and tights,
Women's compression tights can cost more than a good pair of running shoes - around Rp1.5
million (US$125). Some buy Garmin timers also costing more than a pair of good running shoes.
They do not really need them, but they like to have them.
Hanging out at the 7-Eleven
When Starbucks first opened in Jakarta in 2003, many high-income consumers started to
hang out at coffee shops. They drank a cup of coffee, which cost Rp40,000 then, and stayed for
a couple of hours. These places were places to see and be seen. Nowadays, this has become a
widespread lifestyle choice. Middle-class Indonesians are now hanging out at convenience

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45

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

stores. Pioneered by 7-Eleven, others quickly followed, such as Lawson and Circle K. These
stores provide snacks, quick meals and drinks. They have tables and seats, and some can sit
up to 40 customers. Consumers enjoy a snack or drink and stay for several hours. They like to
hang out at Sevel (slang for Seven-Eleven) with their friends. Convenience stores have been
attracting many college and high-school students and even some junior high-school students.
Many junior high- and high-school students can be seen between noon and 5pm; between 5pm
and midnight, older consumers aged over 18 hang out at convenience stores.

Vacations
The high vacation season includes the school break in July, Eid al-Fitri and the Christmas and
New Year period. People often set aside two to four days to travel. Those who do not travel out
of town visit the popular tourist attractions that are abundant in major cities or simply visit malls.
Eid al-Fitri is the Islamic holiday that is celebrated after the holy month of Ramadan. During
Eid al-Fitri, millions of Indonesians who live in urban areas visit their parents or grandparents
village and spend time with the family. The Eid al-Fitri holiday usually lasts for a whole week,
sometimes more. All over the country, Indonesians use various transport modes, including
planes, trains, cars, buses and motorcycles, for a journey that can span over 700 kilometres. Eid
al-Fitri itself lasts two days and is determined by the Islamic calendar.
Those who do not travel to their village or simply do not celebrate Eid typically go to popular
local tourist attractions. Affluent people often prefer to stay away from popular crowded places
and go to places such as Bali and even abroad to Singapore, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia.
The school break lasts one month; families can plan ahead and visit a variety of places.
Popular tourist attractions in cities enjoy a high number of visitors. In Jakarta, the Ragunan zoo,
the Ancol Fantasy Land, the Swimming Place, and the mountain area of Puncak are classic
tourist attractions. Swimming sites, such as Waterboom in Pantai Indah Kapuk and Ocean Park
in Serpong, are other options. Camping remains relatively unpopular.
The Christmas and New Year period is also a popular time to go on vacation. Not all the
people celebrating Christmas go home to their villages, as for Eid al-Fitri. Many people who do
not celebrate Christmas still take time to travel out of town. The most popular destinations
remain Bali and Bandung in Indonesia and Singapore, Australia and Thailand. Other popular
destinations include the Netherlands, Hong Kong and China.
Eco-travelling
Given the vast eco-tourism sites in Indonesia, it is surprising that eco-travelling has only
recently spread more widely. Raja Ampat, a group of islands on the west side of Papua, is home
to the greatest concentration of marine biodiversity on the planet. This was discovered by
scientists only in the past decade. Several NGOs, such as Conservation International, The
Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund have recognised the value of this clan-based
system of ancestral tenure and are making conservation goals dovetail with those of local
people, using sustainable tourism as an economic incentive. Raja Ampat has been one of the
top eco-travelling sites in Indonesia ever since.
In the west, many travellers go to Sumatra for eco-travelling. Sumatra EcoTravel, a tour
operator, promotes ecologically responsible travel in North Sumatra. It focuses on the
conservation of the environment and well-being of local people and animals. This helps protect
the Mount Leuser National Park, especially the habitat of the last Sumatran orang-utans.
Another popular eco-travelling site is the Eco Green Park in Malang, East Java. This park is
located next to the Batu Secret Zoo and offers 25 environmental education stations. Many
families love going there because the tracks are not rough, unlike the tracks in Sumatra or Raja
Ampat. In addition, children can learn to love nature and it is much more affordable.

Euromonitor International

Passport

46

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Passport

Public Holidays, Celebrations and Gift-giving


The government decides on approximately 14 public holidays each year. The public holidays
are mostly of a religious nature. Islam, the largest religion in Indonesia, has at least five
holidays: Eid al-Fitri, Eid al-Adha, The Islamic New Year, The Birth of Prophet Muhammad and
Isra and Miraj. Christians contribute Christmas and Easter; Hindus have Nyepi, which is huge in
Bali. Buddhists have Waisak, which is celebrated at the largest temple in the world: Borobudur.
The Chinese New Year has become popular with most Indonesians in the past five years.
Recently, the government declared Labour Day on 1st May a public holiday.
Traditionally, Indonesians love gift giving. As a relatively collective society, neighbours send
food or goods from abroad to one another, particularly in rural areas and middle- to low-income
families, during the holy month of Ramadan. At Eid al-Fitri and Christmas, it is very common for
families, friends and colleagues to send greetings and wishes to each other. Nowadays, cards
are more often digital ones.
Table 8

Leisure and Recreation Data 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

Ownership of household
durables by type
- Colour TV set (% of
households)
- Cable TV (% of
households)
- Satellite TV system
(% of households)
- Internet enabled
computer
(% of households)
- Mobile telephone (%
of households)
- Video games console
(% of households)
Consumer expenditure on
leisure and recreation
(Rp per
capita, at constant
prices)
- Audio-Visual,
photographic
and Information
processing
equipment
- Other major durables
for recreation and
culture
- Other recreational
items and equipment,
gardens and pets
- Recreational and
cultural services
- Newspapers, magazines,
books and stationery
- Package holidays
Domestic tourism
receipts and expenditure
- Accommodation

Euromonitor International

2000

2005

2011

2012

2013

2016

55.7

67.2

72.5

73.4

74.2

76.5

0.1

0.8

4.0

4.4

4.8

6.1

7.5

8.9

17.3

18.7

20.1

23.7

0.1

1.0

5.3

6.5

8.4

13.4

2.3

19.9

77.3

80.7

82.5

85.8

0.2

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

220,769.2

369,535.2

452,250.3

478,189.0

506,277.0

607,445.8

7,239.0

10,469.0

13,711.1

14,501.9

15,389.3

18,771.5

32,732.2

46,142.2

58,829.5

61,928.2

65,590.0

79,104.9

128,361.0

160,809.4

177,777.5

184,825.8

192,929.6

226,953.1

79,973.4

110,789.2

139,205.9

146,219.3

154,525.9

185,171.4

34,064.4

48,633.3

63,112.6

66,540.5

70,639.4

85,827.1

68,826.3

63,832.6

48,339.3

47,018.8

46,657.3

48,066.0

47

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

- Entertainment
- Excursions
- Food
- Shopping
- Travel within the
country
- Other domestic
tourist expenditure
Outgoing tourism
receipts and expenditure
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
- Excursions
- Food
- Shopping
- Travel within the
country
- Other outgoing
tourist expenditure
Departures by mode of
transport
- Air ('000)
- Land ('000)
- Sea ('000)
Demand factors
- Annual leave
entitlement (days)
Source:

Chart 8

Source:

Passport

1,017.1
396.1
4,501.7
4,547.5
1,680.2

681.4
265.4
3,015.8
3,046.5
1,125.6

1,915.9
756.1
11,945.6
10,857.3
3,069.4

2,014.2
844.9
13,067.2
11,739.0
3,139.6

2,226.3
1,004.0
14,912.1
13,359.1
3,341.1

2,951.7
1,635.9
21,564.6
18,858.2
4,338.2

2,021.5

1,354.3

5,148.3

5,256.2

5,629.5

6,825.1

63,348.0
21,011.9
12,724.3
48,116.4
157,393.7
27,846.6

38,440.2
12,877.0
8,154.4
29,843.0
97,278.2
17,123.8

39,488.0
11,177.4
9,042.2
30,616.9
102,978.7
18,284.1

38,894.7
10,718.4
9,034.8
30,011.9
104,563.5
18,182.5

40,339.4
10,765.2
9,496.9
30,878.0
107,111.6
18,556.3

47,026.7
11,188.3
11,300.0
34,593.8
117,739.5
20,093.8

60,114.3

31,823.9

33,321.0

32,063.0

32,377.2

34,252.6

2,666.5
655.9
925.6

3,429.5
877.2
1,135.8

4,601.0
1,004.6
1,144.9

4,965.8
1,070.7
1,220.2

5,266.7
1,117.1
1,251.0

6,064.9
1,246.4
1,357.9

26

29

26

27

n/a

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Percentage of Households in Possession of Cable TV; Satellite TV System;


Internet Enabled Computer; Mobile Telephone; Video Games Console 20002016

Euromonitor International

GETTING AROUND

Euromonitor International

48

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Private Transport
Sales of passenger cars and motorcycles continue to grow in major cities. In 2013, 85.7
million motorcycles and 11.6 million passenger cars were in use. In 2013, more than 1.2 million
cars were sold, a record for Indonesia; sales of motorcycles were also huge, amounting to 7.7
million new motorcycles. However, given the rise in interest rates in 2014, consumers are likely
to put off buying a new vehicle.
In light of the increase in gasoline prices in June 2013 and the need for efficiency in
congested traffic, many consumers are opting for fuel-efficient cars. The Toyota Avanza and the
Daihatsu Xenia have been top-selling models for many years. Toyota and Daihatsu launched
low-cost green cars in late 2012: the Toyota Agya and the Daihatsu Ayla. Both were priced
below Rp100 million a psychological price that means cheap for most Indonesians. In
addition, the models are small and fuel efficient, thus very popular.
Most Indonesians would prefer to use private transport daily because the public transport
system is not reliable. It is inconvenient and, in many cases, more expensive than using a
motorcycle. The government has tried to improve the public transport system and provides
disincentives for using private transport, but it will take a long time before anything changes.
Most Indonesians can only afford a motorcycle but, if they can spare enough money for
monthly instalments to buy a car, they opt for a car. Owning a car is a source of pride and, in
addition, cars are more comfortable, particularly in congested polluted large cities.

Public Transport
In general, the transport system needs much improvement. The roads in rural areas are few
and not well maintained. Public transport is considered unreliable, unsafe, polluted, and many
times more expensive than travelling by motorcycle. Other than trains, almost all forms of public
transport do not have a schedule to guide passengers and help them plan ahead. It is very
common to wait in the middle of the street, not in a shelter or terminal, for a bus. Most means of
public transport are polluted as many do not have air conditioners and, due to ignorance, people
still smoke in the vehicles.
In major cities, buses are the dominant means of public transport, followed by angkots
(small minibuses), which serve shorter routes usually farther away from city centres. In late
2012, a small number of buses were restored and new buses were equipped with air condition.
The busway system has continued its sluggish development to serve all routes in Jakarta.
Commuter trains are trying to catch up, but the infrastructure is very poor. Even in Jakarta, the
rail system is very poor and far from what people expect. Yet, a relatively loyal passenger base
uses commuter trains.
Public transport revitalisation has been an objective for so long that most consumers are
sceptical as to whether the government will ever get it right. Most Indonesians have a negative
attitude towards public transport, but many are forced to use it. Some hope emerged in 2013
when Jakarta started its Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) mega project. The MRT is planned to
stretch from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta, through Sudirman Road, right to the heart of the
Central Business District. In heavily congested traffic in cities like Jakarta, taxis remain one of
the most popular public modes of transport for middle- and high-income consumers.

Commuting
The average commute to work in major cities takes two to four hours a day. In Jakarta, people
are considered lucky if their average commute to work takes less than two hours a day. Many
people who work in Jakarta live outside the city, where housing is more affordable. The majority
of commuters travel by car, motorcycle, bus or train. Most school children have shorter

Euromonitor International

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49

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

commutes than workers. Going to school typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. Most schools in
Jakarta start at 6.30am or 7am while schools outside of Jakarta start between 7am and 7.30am.
As an example, a woman who lives in Ciputat and works in Central Jakarta travels
approximately 20 kilometres. Leaving home at 5.30am, she takes an angkot for Rp4,000 and
then a bus for Rp7,000 to arrive at the office at around 7.30am. A round trip costs approximately
Rp22,000 a day. If she rides her own motorcycle, she can cut the commute by 30 minutes and
fill the tank with gasoline every other day for Rp15,000. People taking commuter trains usually
buy monthly tickets for Rp300,000 to Rp400,000 or Rp200,000 for students.
Almost all major cities experience horrendous traffic jams at rush hour and the situation is
getting worse every year. Several major cities, such as Jakarta, have started to pave the path
for a public transport system that facilitates more efficient movement of commuters. A busway
system was started in 2005 but developed very slowly. It only serves a small portion of
commuters daily trips. The Jakarta government has started a Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT)
mega project, which is a rail-based mass transportation system. The MRT Jakarta will stretch
over 110 kilometres. It is targeted to be completed in 2020.
Many Indonesians who live and work in Jakarta know that nothing significant will change
soon. Some are finding creative solutions, such as the Bike 2 Work movement or car sharing.
KRL Mania, an online community, enables train users to share their experiences to ease the
burden and give updates on train schedules. Bike 2 Work (B2W) is a movement that started in
2005, in an effort to promote cycling to work. It has been endorsed by the President and many
high-ranking government officials. Since then, B2W has branched into more than 200 smaller
groups across Indonesia.

Air Travel
The number of passengers carried by scheduled airlines has grown steadily, from 26.84
million in 2005 to 84.72 million in 2013. In 2005, 124.3 kilometres were travelled by air per
capita, growing to 439.4 kilometres per capita in 2013. Travelling by air is becoming preferable
because prices are now more competitive than train prices and it takes a fraction of the time. A
train trip from Jakarta to Jogjakarta, for instance, costs Rp200,000 to Rp300,000 and lasts nine
hours, while a flight typically costs Rp400,000 to Rp700,000 and lasts about an hour. Moreover,
many affordable airlines are available, enabling consumers to shop around for the best price.
Consumers have learned to try to plan their flights in advance in order to get better prices.
The most common destinations for air travel from Jakarta are Bali, Surabaya, Medan,
Jogjakarta, Makassar and Singapore. Bandung, the capital city of West Java, is relatively close
and most people use passenger cars or shuttle buses, instead of airplanes or trains.
Group Commuting
With more than 55,000 followers on Twitter, Nebengers has become popular for car sharing in
Jakarta. Founded in December 2011, Nebengers, which is derived from the word ne beng,
literally means hitch a ride. Car sharing has long existed in Jakarta, but this has formalised it
and boosted the demand among daily commuters. It started as a way to save gasoline and
money and has become a social movement. Many people believe that, by sharing cars, they
lessen the burden of all commuters. Moreover, many people like to be with other people on trips
that can last two hours and dread to drive alone. In August 2013, the community launched a
mobile application, which makes it easy to track an empty seat.
Table 9

Transport Data: 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016

(Rp000 per capita, at constant prices)

Euromonitor International

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50

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDONESIA

Consumer expenditure on
transport services
- Consumer expenditure
on rail travel
- Consumer expenditure
on buses, coaches and
taxis
- Consumer expenditure
on air travel
- Consumer expenditure
on other travel
Possession of bicycle
(% of households)
Possession of
motorcycle (% of
households)
Possession of passenger
car (% of households)
Km travelled by road
(km per capita)
Km travelled by rail
(km per capita)
Km travelled by air (km
per capita)
Passenger cars in use
('000)
Passengers carried by
rail (mn)
Scheduled airlines:
Passengers carried ('000)
Source:

Chart 9

Source:

Passport

2000
808.0

2005
1,362.6

2011
1,913.9

2012
2,006.0

2013
2,091.4

2016
2,423.0

19.0

34.6

53.0

56.5

59.5

71.0

116.7

194.3

267.3

279.3

290.7

335.0

16.4

30.3

47.2

50.3

53.1

63.6

12.4

21.8

32.1

34.0

35.6

42.0

39.4

45.2

50.5

51.2

51.8

53.5

9.4

12.2

14.2

14.5

14.7

15.3

5.1

6.1

7.3

7.4

7.5

7.9

137.0

238.1

546.2

621.3

701.7

n/a

90.1

112.3

78.5

80.6

80.6

n/a

78.6

124.3

338.1

393.9

439.4

n/a

3,039

5,076

9,549

10,564

11,569

n/a

192

152

199

222

257

n/a

9,916

26,836

67,795

77,157

84,720

n/a

National statistics, Euromonitor International

Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in


Consumer Expenditure on Transport Services and Purchase of Cars,
Motorcycles and other Vehicles 2000-2016

Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International

51

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