Brazilian shoppers favor trusted brands and barter as money tightens

A 2026 study by Nuvemshop and Opinion Box found that 40% of Brazilian consumers feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of offers online, a phenomenon the researchers label “neofobia.” As a result, shoppers increasingly stick to familiar brands, with 46.5% repurchasing directly from brand sites compared with about 30% on marketplaces.

At the same time, rising inflation, high interest rates and growing personal debt are prompting Brazil’s Gen Z and millennial adults to revive bartering. An Insper study highlighted that average youth debt rose from R$2,000 in 2020 to R$3,600 in 2026, leading many to swap goods and services on social media platforms as an alternative to cash transactions.