Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has recently issued BPOM Regulation No. 5 of 2026, which regulates the supervision of drug and drug ingredient management in pharmaceutical service facilities and other facilities such as minimarkets, supermarkets, and hypermarkets.
The policy, enacted on 13 March 2026, aims to provide legal certainty while ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs and drug ingredients distributed to the public.
Head of BPOM, Taruna Ikrar emphasized that this regulation was created to fill the regulatory gap that had previously existed in non-pharmaceutical facilities. “Essentially, BPOM is regulating something that was previously unregulated. That’s why we created this regulation to ensure that the efficacy, identity, and quality of medicines reaching the public are guaranteed.”
Previously, supervision focused only on pharmaceutical service facilities, such as pharmacies, while other facilities lacked clear regulations. Over-the-counter and restricted-prescription drugs have long been circulating in various modern stores and retailers without specific regulations. This prompted the BPOM (Indonesian Food and Drug Authority) to take decisive action. “The reality is that these drugs are already being sold in drugstores, hypermarkets , supermarkets, and even minimarkets. Therefore, the government must be present to ensure oversight.”
With this regulation, the legal consequences are clear for all parties involved in the drug distribution chain. He added, “With legal certainty, it’s clear who is responsible. If violations occur, there are sanctions, ranging from administrative sanctions, product recalls, to criminal sanctions.”
BPOM will also be providing technical guidance for grocery stores like minimarkets, supermarkets and hypermarkets on how to properly store, organize, and manage medicines. One key point in this regulation is the requirement for trained personnel at drug sales facilities.
