Retail Industry Expected to Grow 10% in 2019

Jakarta: Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo) is optimistic that Indonesia's retail industry can grow by around 10 percent in 2019.

"Our performance is still good. We still open 800 shops per year," Aprindo chairman Roy N Mandey said here on Thursday.
"We open 10-15 new supermarkets every year. We also open 2-3 new hypermarkets each year," the Aprindo leader noted.

The latest Retail Sales Survey conducted by Bank Indonesia confirmed increased retail sales growth in May 2019, driven by seasonal factors. The Real Sales Index (RSI) grew by 7.7% (yoy) from 6.7% (yoy) in April 2019.

The increase were mainly driven by sales of Clothing, Spare Parts and Accessories, as well as Food, Beverages & Tobacco along with increasing demand during the Ramadan month and ahead of the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr.

The retail sales are predicted to maintain positive growth in June 2019, although it is lower than the previous month. This is indicated by the RSI in June 2019 which is predicted to grow 2.2% (yoy) in line with the normal return to demand after the Ramadan month and the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr. 

The RSI growth in June 2019 was supported by Spare Parts and Accessories as well as Clothing.

According to the latest survey, retailers predicted milder inflationary pressures in the next 3 months (August 2019), as indicated by a significant decline in the corresponding Price Expectations Index (PEI) to 138.3 from 160.5 the month earlier.



(WAH)