Indonesia develops Early Warning System to protect consumers

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN) is developing an Early Warning System (EWS) to identify products that could pose risks to consumers as part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection.

BPKN Chairman Muhammad Mufti Mubarok stated that the system is designed to leverage data, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and build an integrated information system to identify high-risk products.

"We hope the implementation of this early warning system will strengthen market surveillance while supporting faster and more accurate policymaking to prevent the distribution of products that fail to meet safety standards," he said in a press release in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The statement was made as Indonesia attended the 9th Session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 9, 2026.

In the forum, Indonesia highlighted that consumer protection must go beyond responding after harm has occurred. Instead, it must prioritize preventive measures through systems capable of detecting potential risks early on.

Mufti noted that, in addition to developing the EWS, BPKN is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support online dispute resolution (ODR) to enhance the efficiency of handling consumer complaints.

The integration of AI is expected to make the dispute resolution process faster, more accessible, transparent, and efficient—particularly in disputes involving digital transactions and cross-border commerce.

BPKN also invited UNCTAD to provide capacity-building support for both the EWS development and the implementation of AI in ODR, enabling Indonesia to adopt international best practices.

According to him, consumer protection in the digital era requires a new paradigm, as it demands not only resolving disputes quickly but also being able to prevent losses through a technology-backed EWS.

Therefore, he underlined that international cooperation and capacity building are essential to developing a modern, adaptive, and sustainable consumer protection system.

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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Raka Adji

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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