Legal Protection for Consumers towards Basic Needs Stockpiling Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic Hilbertus Sumplisius M. Wau- Tengku Keizerina Devi Azwar
Master of Notarial Law, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan - Indonesia
Abstract
The Covid-19 Pandemic is a non-natural disaster with a sudden and widespread effect on consumer behavior. The pandemic has made business actors keep and store a stockpile of staple food which results in the scarcity of foodstuff. Staple food hoarding can harm society. This study aims to determine the legal protection for consumers in response to the staple food hoarding by business actors amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic. This is normative legal research applying a statutory and conceptual approach. The data was collected through a literature study. The findings indicate that the legal protection in regards to the staple food hoarding has been strictly regulated in the provisions of Law Number 7 of 2014 concerning Trade, Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food, and the Presidential Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 71 of 2015 concerning the Determination and Storage of Staple Food and Important Items. However, the legal protection for consumers is still vague, especially amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic. Therefore, it is necessary to have provisions on staple food hoarding law despite the available rules and regulations to protect the consumers.
