Angelo Calori, a specialist in governance, compliance, and financial crimes, and founder of Calori Compliance consulting firm, conducted master's research in the 25 de Março area of São Paulo, specifically in the surroundings of Galeria Pagé. During his visits to the location, he observed large numbers of people carrying black bags, used to hide purchases of pirated, stolen, or contraband products.
Calori also witnessed the overt presence of illegal item vendors, including vendors offering stun gun devices on the sidewalk, even near police officers and signs informing about the prohibition of the sale and consumption of illegal products. According to him, the commercialization of illegal products in the area is extremely normalized, with no fear on the part of vendors and no shame on the part of buyers.
The observations and interviews conducted during the research were transformed into the master's thesis titled "Consumer Ethical Beliefs about the Consumption of Illegal Products in Brazil." The study seeks to understand Brazilian consumer behavior regarding illegal products.
Calori argues that it is necessary to remove the consumer from the victim position, suggesting that consumers are not only victims of the illegal market but also active participants in this consumption, which highlights the need for a change in social perception on the topic.
