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Retailers, suppliers wary of deeper sales decline amid Israel boycott calls
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Aprindo chairman Roy Mandey answers questions from reporters on Nov. 15, 2023, in a restaurant in South Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/Deni Ghifari)
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etailers have started to feel the pinch from a call to boycott pro-Israel products with firms wary that it could lead to a bigger jolt to businesses unless the government intervenes, associations said on Wednesday.
The Indonesian Retailer Businessmen Association (Aprindo) said in a press briefing on Wednesday that firms have started to see between 3 and 4 percent decline in daily sales over the past week when the call was made official by Indonesia's top Islamic scholars' body.
Aprindo chairman Roy Mandey said the impact could be bigger in the following weeks, pointing out that the real ramifications of the boycott would be seen a month after the fatwa issuance.
“Choosing, buying and consuming are consumers’ rights, peoples’ rights, and they need to be protected, their rights need to be guarded,” Roy said.
He also warned that businesses may end up laying off employees if the boycott expands.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued Fatwa No. 83/2023 on the Law of Supporting Palestine, underscoring the obligation to support Palestine and boycott pro-Israel products on Nov. 9.
Issued as a form of the MUI’s scholarly responsibility, the fatwa follows the emerging worldwide campaign calling for boycotts of Western brands that have been accused of supporting Israel.
