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View all search resultsIndonesia retail sales pick up but consumer confidence flatlines
The retail sales index was projected to climb to 231.7 points in December while the consumer confidence index dropped slightly to 123.5 points.
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Visitors look at Christmas decorations for sale at a shop in Manokwari, West Papua, on Dec. 18, 2025. (Antara/Chairil Indra)
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central bank survey points to an improvement in retail sales at the end of 2025 as households celebrated the Christmas and New Year festivities with increased travel, but a slight decrease in the level of consumer confidence raises questions about the outlook.
Preliminary data from Bank Indonesia (BI) published on Monday shows that the retail sales index (RSI) is projected to have climbed to 231.7 points in December, marking a solid 4.4 percent year-on-year (yoy) increase from 222 points recorded in the same month of the preceding year.
BI spokesman Ramdan Denny Prakoso said in a statement released together with the data that the growth was owed to “increased demand during” the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
The annual rise was primarily driven by sales of spare parts and accessories, which were up 12.4 percent yoy, while sales of cultural and recreational goods grew at a moderate rate of just 3.5 percent yoy.
Syafruddin Karimi, an economics professor at Andalas University, said the strong increase in spare parts and accessories was attributable to increased mobility during the holidays, which prompted households to make sure their vehicles were ready for the road by undertaking engine services and maintenance, such as by changing tires or oil.
The phenomenon was in line with the fact that Indonesia’s mobility structure relies heavily on personal vehicles, so “when mobility increases, spending on vehicle maintenance will also go up”, Syafruddin told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
