PERSPEKTIFNUSANTARA.COM– At a modern shopping mall, a teenager proudly shows off a newly purchased foreign-brand bag. Beside him, a friend wears imported shoes worth millions of rupiah. Neither of them realizes that in a corner of the traditional market in the same city, local craftsmen are struggling to keep their generations-old businesses alive. This is the real portrait of Indonesia today a generation that has grown up believing foreign products are more prestigious than domestic ones. Yet behind every local product lies hard work, creativity, and a national identity that is truly priceless. Building awareness among young people to love local products is not merely a patriotic campaign it is an urgent necessity for the sustainability of the national economy.
The most fundamental problem is the deeply rooted misconception about the quality of local products that has taken hold in the minds of young people. For years, media and advertising have shaped the view that foreign products are synonymous with high quality, modern lifestyles, and higher social status. Young people compete to use imported smartphones, foreign-brand clothing, and electronic devices made overseas—without ever truly questioning whether local products could serve as equally good alternatives. A survey conducted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade in 2023 revealed that more than 60% of young consumers aged 17–25 still prioritize foreign brands when shopping for fashion and electronics. Ironically, many of them are unaware that numerous Indonesian local products have already broken into international markets and gained global recognition.
A second factor worsening this situation is the lack of education about the value and potential of local products in both schools and homes. The national education curriculum rarely includes materials that specifically invite students to recognize, appreciate, and take pride in using domestically made products. Parents, who should serve as role models, often choose imported products for their families because they are influenced by the same trends. As a result, young people grow up without a sufficient understanding of how important it is to support local products for the nation’s economy. When a student buys a local product, they are not merely purchasing goods they are contributing to job creation and supporting farmers, craftsmen, and small business owners who sustain millions of Indonesian families.
Beyond that, the dominance of foreign products has created significant economic inequality. Money spent on imported goods flows out of Indonesia, while local businesses lose potential income they rightfully deserve. Data from the Central Statistics Agency in 2023 recorded that the value of consumer goods imports continued to rise, while local products’ market share among young consumers remained stagnant. This situation threatens the survival of thousands of small and medium enterprises that serve as the backbone of Indonesia’s economy. If the younger generation does not change their consumption patterns soon, local industries will become increasingly marginalized and dependent on an uncertain export market.
However, there is a glimmer of hope. The movement to love local products has begun to show encouraging results, especially among creative youth communities and increasingly innovative small and medium enterprise actors. Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Tokopedia have opened opportunities for local products to compete directly with foreign brands. Many local brands such as Erigo, Heystacie, and various Indonesian beauty products have successfully attracted young consumers through smart marketing strategies and quality that is no less impressive. Their success stories prove that with the right support, local products are capable of standing on equal footing with—or even surpassing—imported goods.
To accelerate this change, concrete steps are needed from various parties. First, the government should strengthen the “Proud of Indonesian Products” campaign by involving influential figures among young people—such as musicians, content creators, and national athletes—as ambassadors for local products. Second, schools and universities must integrate entrepreneurship education and love for local products into the curriculum, including organizing small enterprise product fairs and industrial visits to local craft centers. Third, e-commerce platforms should offer greater incentives to sellers of local products and prioritize the display of domestic goods to Indonesian consumers. Fourth, and just as importantly, every individual especially young people must begin to realize that their consumption choices have a direct impact on the nation’s economy.
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Building awareness among young people to love local products is a long-term investment whose benefits will be felt by the entire nation. When young Indonesians choose products made in their own country, they are not merely buying goods—they are building a future Indonesia that is more independent and economically sovereign. It is time to change the paradigm that “local” means inferior, and to begin celebrating the excellence of Indonesian products with pride. Because in truth, loving local products is a genuine expression of love for the homeland.
