Brazil presents a wide range of counterfeit products on the streets, and the consumption of illicit goods cuts across all social classes. Some consumers buy from street vendors, while others spend over R$ 8,000 on counterfeit bags. This phenomenon contradicts common sense, as the propensity to purchase illegal products is greater among the higher-income population.
This finding is part of the "1st National Survey on the Demand for Illicit Goods and Services in Brazil," conducted by the Multidimensional Security School of the University of São Paulo (ESEM-USP) in partnership with the research institute Ipsos. The survey interviewed three thousand people last year.
The study analyzed five major illegal product markets: fuels, alcoholic beverages, electronics, apparel, and tobacco and nicotine. In the first four markets, the propensity to purchase ranges between 20% (fuels and electronics) and 25% in apparel. For electronic cigarettes, the share is smaller, at 12%.
The percentages presented reflect the willingness to acquire illicit products, and not necessarily actual consumption. To arrive at these numbers, the study considered responses to questions about hypothetical situations, such as the possibility of purchasing these products under different circumstances.
