Increased sales of M'sian products helped stimulate domestic economy, says Nanta

KUALA LUMPUR: The uptrend in sales thanks to the 2022 Buy Malaysian Products Campaign (KBBM) has helped stimulate the domestic economy, says Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (pic).

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister also said the rise in sales of local products over the past several years, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, proved that the campaign, which started in 1984 under the name Buy Malaysian-Made Products and was rebranded to KBBM in 2009, was effective.

"Last year’s total sales through the marketplace was RM142mil with 1.07 million total stock storage units (SKU), while sales records collected at hypermarket chains, supermarkets and convenience stores exceeded 173,000 SKU with RM3.08bil in total sales value,” he said after officiating the closing ceremony of the 2022 KBBM Craft Promotion Programme, a strategic partnership between the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry and the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry here Sunday (Oct 16).

He also said he was targeting a rise of 2.5% in KBBM sales this year, even with the various challenges posed by the inflation crisis and global economic turmoil.

Nanta said product innovation under the campaign was impressive because it did not cover just food and beverages, cosmetics, beauty and care, clothes, accessories and shoes but also extended to local craft products.

"KBBM has successfully helped change domestic consumer perception, which previously was quite sceptical about the quality of local products. Alhamdulillah, Malaysians are now more confident and are able to accept local products,” he said.

Regarding the craft promotion programme, he said that its organisation was timely in promoting local craft products that bore Malaysia’s cultural identity. - Bernama