Rio de Janeiro retail sector trends

During the first nine months of 2026, the state of Rio de Janeiro experienced a net growth of 6,380 new commercial establishments. Data from the Board of Trade of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Jucerja) indicates that 17,214 businesses were opened while 10,834 were closed, showing that openings have consistently outpaced closures despite challenges such as high operational costs, insecurity, and the rise of e-commerce.

As the 2026 Christmas season approaches, retailers in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region show varying levels of optimism. A survey by the Fecomércio Institute of Research and Analysis (IFec RJ) found that 54% of business owners have already placed or are planning holiday orders, with 38.2% expecting sales to exceed the previous year by an average of 5.4%.

However, rising costs persist as a major concern; 63.3% of surveyed owners reported that suppliers are charging more than in the previous year, with an average perceived price increase of 8.4%. On a corporate level, companies like chocolate manufacturer Kopenhagen are launching large-scale holiday operations with significant marketing investments to target revenue increases.