Indonesia retailers cheer Temu ban as big win in battle to stem tide of cheap imported goods

[JAKARTA] Indonesia is intensifying its crackdown on the import of low-cost goods to safeguard local businesses, especially those in the struggling textile industry that has been hit hard by the influx of these cheap imports.

Recently, the government upheld its ban on Temu – a popular China-based e-commerce platform – operating in the country, citing concerns over the company’s potential predatory pricing practices.

Scores of Indonesian retailers hailed the ban, describing it as a “lifeline” after years and even decades of trying to cope with the flood of cheap imported goods. The Temu ban was announced by Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi last week, who said that Temu’s business model was highly disruptive.