Indonesia – As Ramadan 2026 approaches, a new report from YouGov reveals how consumer habits in Indonesia and Malaysia are expected to shift during the holy month, from daily routines to media consumption and celebrations.
Across the five markets surveyed, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the UAE, Ramadan is primarily associated with faith and spiritual reflection. In Indonesia, 62% of respondents link the month to spirituality, while 56% of Malaysians share the same view.
Family and togetherness also remain central to the Ramadan experience. This is most pronounced in Indonesia, where 51% of respondents highlighted family time, compared with 36% in Malaysia.
Generosity and giving back are another key theme of the period, though the strength of this association varies by market. Türkiye leads with 49% of adults associating Ramadan with generosity. Indonesia ranks third at 39%, while Malaysia scores lowest among the five markets surveyed.
The report shows that Ramadan brings noticeable changes to daily life, particularly in religious and spiritual activities. In Indonesia, 73% of adults expect to spend more time on such activities, while in Malaysia, 58% plan to increase their spiritual engagement.
Time with family also rises, though less dramatically. In Indonesia, 56% of adults anticipate spending more time with family, compared with 48% in Malaysia. Exercise and wellbeing routines, however, largely remain unchanged, with 49% of Indonesians reporting no change.
Unlike other markets where travel tends to decline, around four in ten adults in both Malaysia and Indonesia say their travel plans will remain unchanged during Ramadan.
Advertising preferences during Ramadan also differ across markets. In Indonesia, consumers gravitate toward heartfelt storytelling, with 37% citing it as most authentic, followed by ads promoting charitable or sustainable actions (32%). In Malaysia, preferences are more evenly distributed: family storytelling leads at 37%, while ads highlighting local culture (26%) and real communities (22%) also resonate. Across all markets, celebrity- or influencer-led ads rank lowest in perceived authenticity.
Television viewing patterns shift notably during Ramadan. Evening slots between 7 PM and 10 PM dominate in Malaysia, drawing 47% of viewers, while in Indonesia, evening viewing is lower at 34%, with audiences more evenly spread throughout the day. Late-night viewing (10 PM–2 AM) remains significant in Malaysia at 21%, whereas daytime slots see limited engagement, peaking only in Indonesia at 30% in the afternoon.
