Ahead of Mandatory Halal Certification, Indonesian Cosmetics Industry Flags Imported Ingredients

Indonesia’s cosmetics industry is approaching the Oct. 18, 2026 deadline for mandatory halal certification with most of its raw materials still coming from overseas. The Indonesian Cosmetics Companies Association, known as Perkosmi, is asking the government to make sure the rules match the realities of the industry’s supply chain.

Perkosmi Chairman Sancoyo Antarikso said the association had already brought businesses’ concerns to regulators. He stressed that the industry does not oppose halal certification, but wants supporting infrastructure and practical regulations in place.

“We do not object. We recognize that, for the comfort and benefit of the 87 percent of Indonesia’s population who are Muslim, it is necessary. But it must also be accompanied by supporting infrastructure and regulations that can help us implement it properly,” Sancoyo said on Sept. 1, 2026.

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We do not object. We recognize that, for the comfort and benefit of the 87 percent of Indonesia’s population who are Muslim, it is necessary. But it must also be accompanied by supporting infrastructure and regulations that can help us implement it properly.

One proposal from the association is to focus halal certification requirements for cosmetic ingredients on materials derived from slaughtered animals. Perkosmi has submitted the proposal to the government but is still waiting for clarity on whether it will be adopted. Sancoyo said the issue is pressing because overseas suppliers may not all be capable of completing the certification process. “Ninety percent of the ingredients are still imported, and not all of those producers may be able to obtain halal certification,” he said.

Perkosmi estimates that about 56% of cosmetic products have received halal certification, based on a comparison between products certified by Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency and cosmetics with active distribution permits from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency. A Perkosmi readiness survey of 243 respondents, conducted from December 2025 to May 2026, found that about 10% had certified all their products, more than 40% had certified some products, and more than 40% had no halal certification. The association says implementation also requires clear guidance, regulatory certainty, sufficient transition time, adequate infrastructure, and coordination with businesses, given the sector’s varied ingredients and long supply chains.

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Ninety percent of the ingredients are still imported, and not all of those producers may be able to obtain halal certification.