Jakarta, Aug. 6 -- The Trade Ministry said shopping festival programs are among the strategic collaborative efforts to help sustain consumer purchasing power during the low season.

Director of Trade Business Development at the ministry, Franciska Simanjuntak, said the low season typically lasts from March through the end of the year, before consumer spending picks up again during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

"We have observed a recurring pattern of declining sales from March to December every year. Consumer spending usually starts to recover during the Christmas and New Year holidays," Simanjuntak said here on Thursday.

However, collaboration between the government and business players, including retail associations, has ...