The first time it happened to me, I actually thought the supermarket had just decided to provide complimentary mints to their customers... then I realized that my change was incomplete. Instead of providing your change in coins (anything under 1000 rupiah), candies are substituted!
At the heart of it, this just goes to show you the diminished value of the Indonesian Rupiah... The smallest denomination bill is the 1000-Rupiah note; 50-, 100- and 500-rupiah coins still exist... they just don't have any practical value. This is even more pronounced in Papua, where market-basket surveys show costs to be an average of 45% higher than other regions within Indonesia! 1000 Rupiah is the equivalent of approximately 10 cents; even that doesn't go far... it can buy a small, non-branded bar of soap, but not much else. The only thing I can think of, other than single candies, that costs less than 1000 Rupiah would be an egg (500 Rupiah). So coins are going by the wayside... stores just don't have adequate supply of small change.
So much for not taking candy from strangers!
The 'Candy Change' actually doesn't really bother me so much, although I find it annoying that when you try to pay with candies, they look at you like you're mad and outright deny you the option!
Others are not so tolerant of this phenomenon: I just read recently that there is a push to actually outlaw the use of candy as change in Bali. The outcome remains to be seen, but it seems to me a more appropriate solution is required on a national level, which addresses to root of the problem... reevaluation of the rupiah. I know it's not so simple, but what about just cutting out the zeros!?!
Hmmm... I have mixed emotions about this... it means I wouldn't be able to think of myself as a millionaire anymore! At least I can say I have been... (no need to mention that it was in a place where 100 dollars puts into the millions (of rupiah))!
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