The ministry has continued to hold meetings with operators and stakeholders to identify solutions that would spur consumers to shop at retail centers again and enable traders to reopen their kiosks, Director General of Domestic Trade at the ministry, Isy Karim, informed.
"We are coordinating with market managers, and we hope that Tanah Abang and PT Pasar Jaya can check the management again. In order to determine whether the rent is excessively high, we must first consider other prices, convenience issues, and so on," he said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
According to Karim, shopping centers must host events, such as musical concerts, fashion exhibitions, and bazaars, to attract customers.
He informed that his ministry has advised shopping center management to host events that draw crowds. The management can provide discounts during crowd events.
According to a Bank Indonesia (BI) consumer survey, in September 2023, consumer confidence in economic conditions remained high.
This was evidenced by the September Consumer Confidence Index (IKK), which remained in the positive zone (>100) at 121.7, although it was lower than the previous month's reading of 125.2.
Despite a decline in optimism, consumer confidence was predicted to remain hopeful in all spending categories in September, particularly among respondents with expenditures ranging from Rp2.1 million (around US$125) to Rp3 million (around US$188).
Karim said he believes that people's purchasing power will return to the level it was before the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Ministry of Trade will collaborate with several other ministries and institutions to revive trade, including by inviting traders to participate in digital commerce.
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Translator: Maria, Alita, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Sri Haryati
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