Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, has been ranked at the top of a survey of Asian countries for believing shopping is an alternative recreational family activity.

The survey, conducted by AC Nielsen, gave the number one ranking to both Indonesia and Hong Kong, with 93 percent of respondents from each country saying they mixed shopping with family recreation and entertainment.

On a world scale, 74 percent of consumers considered shopping as entertainment, according to the survey.

"Shopping during the weekend and at end of the month is considered a family activity. The main enticements are comfort, security and a number of eating out and entertainment facilities," Yongky Suryo Susilo, AC Nielsen Indonesia's retailer service director, said Tuesday.

With few public parks available in most of Indonesia's big cities, families have no other option than to enjoy their free time in shopping malls, the number of which has grown unchecked in the past 10 years.

"People are not only buying products but they are buying an experience too," said Yongki.

The AC Nielsen survey also highlighted the so-called "multi-channel users" behavior of Indonesian consumers, relating to their preference for cruising traditional markets also despite the rapid growth of modern retail outlets.

Based on the survey, AC Nielsen found in Jakarta 83 percent to 99 percent of consumers shopping in modern stores were going to both convenience stores and traditional markets.

"Consumers of modern outlets still depend on traditional stores because of their prices and proximity," said Yongky.

According to the survey, consumers tend to shop in hypermarkets monthly, spending a large amount of money, in supermarkets for weekly needs at a medium or small amount of money, and at traditional markets for daily consumption.

"Young mothers prefer shopping from roving vendors than traditional markets for their daily consumption. They go to hypermarkets with their family for monthly shopping," said Yongky.

The survey also discovered 76 percent consumers were concerned about food safety.

"Apart from considering the quality of the products offered, consumers need hygienic and clean places to shop," said Yongky.

Agus Pambagio, an observer of the protection of consumer's rights and public policy, said that Indonesian customers now had a stronger retail bargaining power.

"The increasing number of shops, both traditional and modern, has given customers more alternatives. This has raised their bargaining power," said Agus.

He said Indonesian consumers were becoming more demanding because they were more aware of their rights. (rff)

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