Pokémon TCG scalpers inflate prices and empty shelves in Brazil

Scalpers are reportedly emptying store shelves and inflating prices for Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) products in Brazil. This issue has gained significant attention following the release of the franchise’s 30th-anniversary commemorative collection.

Retailers and collectors report that these resellers purchase entire stocks to flip them on secondary websites at prices far exceeding the manufacturer-suggested values set by distributors Copag and Asmodee. Ananda Quintas, owner of the specialized store USA Trendies, stated that this behavior destabilizes the hobby and harms stores, sellers, collectors, and players alike, noting that frustration may cause people to abandon the hobby.

While physical store shelves appear empty, resale advertisements are multiplying online. This trend follows a period of rapid growth for the TCG market; data from OLX indicated that TCG sales grew approximately 130% in the early months of last year compared to the same period in 2024, with Pokémon accounting for 92% of those sales.