Indonesia includes e-cigarettes in consumer price index calculations

According to a Bloomberg report, Indonesia is adding e-cigarettes and e-liquid to its inflation basket, a range of goods and services used to calculate the consumer price index.

According to the country’s statistics office, the change will update the composition of Indonesia’s consumer basket to reflect changes in technology, income, and consumer spending patterns, especially after the pandemic.

Other newly added items include face masks, hand sanitizer, television receivers, and fares for Jakarta’s newly opened mass rapid transit lines. In five major cities, including Jakarta, Bogor, and Surabaya, online shopping for men’s and women’s shoes, Muslim clothing, mobile phones, and perfume will also be tracked.

Items such as television antennas, DVDs, and printed magazines have been removed from the basket.

Indonesia is one of the world’s largest tobacco markets. In recent years, e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular, especially in urban areas.