Harkonas: The Need for Smart Consumers to Deal with Product Overclaims

JAKARTA - Monday, April 20, 2026 is an important moment for the Indonesian people in commemorating National Consumer Day (Harkonas).

This warning is not just a ceremonial, but a reflection of the country's commitment to protecting consumer rights since the birth of Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection.

This commitment was then strengthened through Presidential Decree Number 13 of 2012 which officially designated April 20 as National Consumer Day.

This momentum is expected to increase public awareness of their rights and obligations as consumers, as well as encourage business actors to be more responsible, transparent, and ethical in carrying out their business activities for the creation of a fair and sustainable economic ecosystem.

In this context, the issue of overclaim and consumer literacy becomes increasingly relevant to discuss.

Along with the development of the digital ecosystem, social media has emerged as the main showcase for various products and services.

However, behind the ease of access to information, there is a phenomenon that is increasingly worrying, namely the prevalence of overclaims and misleading information.

Products are promoted with exaggerated claims, ranging from "whitening the skin in three days" to "curing diseases without side effects".

Even on the TikTok platform, there are not a few claims for products with performance to remove lipomas, whiten teeth, remove acne quickly, which often do not have a clear scientific basis and do not comply with the rules of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

This condition shows that marketing practices are no longer merely conveying information, but also forming perceptions that have the potential to mislead consumers.

In the perspective of consumer protection, this phenomenon cannot be separated from the existence of information asymmetry, where business actors have much greater access to information compared to consumers.

As a result, consumers are in a vulnerable position and tend to make irrational decisions.

This overclaim practice not only has the potential to be economically detrimental, but also lowers the level of public trust and creates distortions in the market mechanism.

This condition is not just a theory, but a real reality in Indonesia. The proliferation of illegal skincare products that promise instant "whitening" results, but contain harmful ingredients such as mercury, is a concrete example.

BPOM periodically finds cosmetic products with excessive claims that do not match the actual content.

In the traditional medicine sector, a similar phenomenon also occurs, where herbal products are often claimed to be able to cure various chronic diseases, without being supported by adequate clinical evidence.

In fact, so far only 21 BPOM-registered phytopharmaceuticals have been clinically tested and have high safety standards.

The rest, the claim of thousands of herbal products to cure must be carefully examined by consumers.

Furthermore, social media accelerates the spread of such misleading information. Influencers and buzzers are often intermediaries for marketing without adequate transparency regarding product credibility.

In this situation, consumers not only buy products, but also buy expectations that are not necessarily in line with reality.

Therefore, this phenomenon becomes a serious challenge in consumer protection in the digital era, where information can be both a strength and a trap.

The overclaim phenomenon that is developing in the digital space, in the end, is intertwined with the practice of overpromise, which is an excessive promise that is not balanced by the actual performance of a product or service.

In practice, business actors often promise benefits, quality, or service experience that are much higher than the reality received by consumers.

When these expectations are not met, not only disappointment arises, but also a decrease in the level of trust in business actors.

In consumer behavior theory, the gap between expectations and product performance is a key factor that triggers dissatisfaction.

Overpromise creates high expectations in the minds of consumers, while under-delivery presents a reality that is far from those expectations.

This condition, in the end, creates a trust deficit or a trust crisis that not only impacts one business actor, but also the market system as a whole.

This phenomenon can also be easily found in various sectors in Indonesia. In the aviation industry, for example, cases of delays, unilateral cancellations, and even unclear compensation mechanisms often do not match the service promises delivered to consumers.

In the e-commerce sector, complaints about goods that do not match the description, both in terms of quality, size, and authenticity, are also a recurring problem.

This problem is increasingly complex due to weak supervision and law enforcement. Although regulations are available, their implementation is not yet fully optimal in protecting consumers.

In many cases, consumers have to fight for their rights on their own, while business actors do not always get firm sanctions.

This shows the gap between the policies formulated and the practices that occur in the field.

Therefore, the solution to this problem is not enough to rely solely on formal regulations. It is necessary to strengthen business ethics, increase information transparency, and accountability of business actors in carrying out their activities.

Marketing should not only be oriented towards increasing sales, but also uphold honesty. Because, in the long run, consumer trust is the main foundation for business sustainability.

Smart consumers

In the midst of the complexity of the problem, the role of consumers is becoming increasingly crucial. Consumers can no longer be passive, but must become active and critical subjects in every consumption decision. In this context, consumer literacy is the key to dealing with overclaim and overpromise practices that are increasingly rampant.

Smart consumers are those who are not easily believed in excessive claims, are able to verify product information, and understand their rights and obligations as users of goods and services.

Consumer literacy is not only related to knowledge, but also includes critical attitudes and caution in making decisions. Simple habits, such as reading labels, checking distribution permits, ensuring expiration dates, and comparing information from various sources are important steps in protecting yourself.

More than that, in the digital era, the ability to sort out information is a very necessary competence.

Consumers need to be alert to misleading advertisements that are often packaged persuasively and emotionally.

Without adequate literacy skills, consumers will easily be trapped in misleading and harmful information.

Various studies show that empowering consumers through literacy improvement can be an effective strategy in creating market balance.

When consumers are more critical and intelligent, business actors will be encouraged to be more transparent and responsible.

Thus, consumer literacy not only protects individuals, but also contributes to the improvement of the overall business ecosystem.

Harkonas momentum should be a space for joint reflection for all stakeholders.

Consumer protection is not only the responsibility of the government or institutions, such as the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), but is a collective responsibility.

In this dynamic digital era, smart consumers are the last bastion in the face of unethical business practices.

From here, the hope for a fair, transparent, and just market can really be built sustainably.