How MSMEs Can Compliantly Register their Products with BPOM

Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) recommends that Indonesian MSMEs that produce food, drugs, or any consumables register their products accordingly. As a government agency, BPOM is responsible for protecting public health by supervising various products, including but not limited to drugs, vaccines, supplements, food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine.

The BPOM label on a product’s packaging has become a benchmark for the quality of products. Registering a product with BPOM means that the composition of a product has been checked and considered to be within the safe dosage of use.

The importance of this is also rooted in the constant increase in public consumption. Products that do not meet predetermined standards or the failure to secure BPOM certification would mean it is potentially harmful to the consumers.

To ensure that brands continue to meet the standard, BPOM has initiated the Sistem Pengawasan Obat dan Makanan (SisPOM), which regulates all products that have already obtained BPOM certification and circulating in the market.

Aside from benefiting the consumer, BPOM certification would also benefit the business as the product image is much better than that of competitors who have not registered themselves in BPOM.

Amongst others, BPOM has the authority in matters related to regulation and standardization, industrial licensing and certification for various goods, evaluating products before distribution to the market, pre-audit and post-audit advertising materials, and conducting post-marketing vigilance, which includes sampling and laboratory testing in distribution and production facilities.

BPOM’s Initiative to Encourage MSMEs

Despite the many clear benefits of registering a product with BPOM, several MSMEs are still apprehensive due to the tedious process that comes with it. To overcome this, BPOM has conducted several initiatives to encourage and aid MSMEs through the process.

This is seen through the program Siap Dampingi UMKM Papua. This program allowed BPOM officials to extend guidance to various MSMEs within Papua who encountered difficulties obtaining their business licenses through the integrated online system.

The coordination with MSME owners and BPOM also assisted them in obtaining certification for their products and securing a distribution license, allowing the products to reach a broader market. This program was done free to inspire and encourage other MSMEs to legalize and register their products to reap full benefit from their business.

Another example is seen through the socialization conducted by BPOM to disseminate the latest regulation and food export regulations in China. BPOM has assisted 106 companies in obtaining the GACC license from the Chinese Ministry of Customs.

How To Register Products Through BPOM

Applying for BPOM certification can be done quickly through online portals or by visiting the BPOM office. Registering a product through BPOM would require the business to make a company account through their e-registration portal.

Business players must upload their licenses, tax identification numbers, and other permits through this site. Following the submission, a BPOM officer will be tasked with evaluating and verifying the company documents. Upon successful verification, the business will receive a User ID and Password.

The following step is to register the product of choice. Business owners can do this by the aforementioned e-registration portal. Log into the account with the User ID and Password as previously assigned.

Businesses must then input all the relevant product data and upload the necessary documents. After this step, click “process.”

The registered company would then receive a bill of payment, and a verification and validation process by BPOM authorities would begin after this payment. If all the checking is within BPOM parameters, the product will receive its distribution permit electronically.

This description may seem simple, but the registration has more layers, depending on the product sold. Companies looking to import products, for example, must apply for their Angka Pengenal Impor (API).

There is also an audit process associated with registration that is done during the production and distribution stages – the information required to be submitted from one product to the other.

However, the most general and basic information that is usually always needed is the composition of the products, detailed production process, explanation of the shelf life or expiration of a product, label design, nutritional analysis, and raw material specification.

Product registration can take up your operational business time. InCorp Indonesia (an Ascentium Company) will assist you to expedite the process and keep the application compliant with the regulation.