Consumption in Brazilian homes accumulates a high of 2.84% from January to September this year, according to the indicator of the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (ABRAS). In September, consumption was influenced by the fall in food prices and the indicator closed the month up 0.39% compared to August. 
In comparison with the same period in 2021, the increase is 11.19%. All values are deflated by the Broad National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
For the Institutional Vice President of Abras, Marcio Milan, the trend is for more consistent consumption in the coming months, “driven mainly by the increase in the consumption of proteins and other items that have returned to the consumer’s supply basket in the face of the deflation registered in the last three months,” he said.
According to the entity, the first nine months of the year were marked by the anticipation of resources, such as the 13th salary of retirees and pensioners and the release for extraordinary withdrawal from the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS); strengthening of social programs to maintain consumption in the face of high inflation and the resumption of formal employment.
Abras expects that important dates in the trade calendar will encourage consumption even more, such as the first edition of Supermarkets Day, scheduled for November 12, the World Cup, Black Friday and the end-of-year festivities.
food prices
Abrasmercado – an indicator that measures the variation of prices in supermarkets – followed the trend of deflation in food prices in the third quarter (-9.89%) and recorded, in October, a fall of -2.26% in the price of foodstuffs in the basket composed exclusively of foods, including long-life milk (-9.91%), soy oil (-3.71%), beans (-3.43%), meat (-0.93%), sugar (-0.83%), rice (-0.53%). The average price of the basket went from R$326.96 in September to R$319.57 in October.
The price reduction also affected other items in the Abrasmercado Basket, made up of 35 consumer products, which include food (including meat), beverages, cleaning products and hygiene and beauty items. This is the third consecutive drop this year. In August, the decrease was 2.61%; September was registered -1.71%; and October, -0.17%. The average price of the basket went from R$745.03 in September to R$743.75 in October.
Other declines were driven by the deceleration of protein prices, among them ham (-0.94%) and forequarter (-0.93%). The biggest increases were observed in the price of potatoes (20.11%), tomatoes (6.25%), onions (5.86%), manioc flour (4.08%), washing powder ( 2.42%) and salt (2.28%).
regional baskets
In the regional analysis of the performance of the baskets, the South region presented the biggest drop (-0.39%), changing from R$ 850.00 in September to 846.65 in October. The region has the most expensive basket in the country.
Price changes in the other regions were: Southeast (-0.38%), Central-West (-0.26%) and Northeast (-0.09%). In the opposite direction of the falls, the basket of the North region registered an increase of 0.40%. In the region, the value of the basket went from R$ 818.05 in September to R$ 821.32 in October.
