Consumer Behavior and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: An Islamic Ethical Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the consumption behavior of Indonesian society during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Islamic consumption principles. The research employed a quantitative descriptive method, designed to present systematic and factual patterns through numerical data. Respondents were surveyed online over the course of a week, using a combination of convenience, voluntary, and snowball sampling techniques. The findings reveal that many households managed to continue working and saving, with income and savings serving as important pillars of financial resilience during the crisis. Significant behavioral shifts were observed, including the stockpiling of essential goods and the transition to online shopping as a practical adaptation to mobility restrictions and health concerns. Importantly, Muslim respondents consistently fulfilled religious obligations such as zakat, infaq, and sadaqah (ZIS), reflecting the enduring role of religiosity as a moral anchor in times of uncertainty. This highlights that Islamic ethical values—emphasizing moderation and the avoidance of israf (excessiveness) and tabdhr (wastefulness)—make a distinctive contribution to understanding consumer resilience. The study acknowledges its limitations, as reliance on an online survey with non-probability sampling means the findings should be viewed as illustrative of the surveyed group rather than generalized to the wider population. Even so, the results offer meaningful insights for policymakers, Islamic financial institutions, and households navigating decision-making in periods of disruption.