Mastercard is launching a new version of theSpendingPulse™for Brazil. SpendingPulse™ is a platform that provides estimates and insights into retail sales activities at the national, regional, and local levels. Using aggregated and anonymous Mastercard data and models that represent all types of payment, the platform helps businesses improve performance based on macroeconomic indicators. For the relaunch in Brazil, there will be details by regions and more than 50 mesoregions in the South and Southeast states.
Available to clients in 19 countries worldwide, the platform provides daily information on consumer spending across various retail and service segments, such as supermarkets, electronics, clothing, restaurants, and accommodation. On average, SpendingPulse captured 1.2 billion transactions per month and accounted for 3.4 trillion reais in retail sales in 2024. Customers who purchase SpendingPulse can view an interactive platform with key indicators and a detailed monthly report. Exclusive information about consumer spending and the insights of leading economists provide a comprehensive view of consumption trends, aiding strategic decisions for companies, analysts, and policymakers.
According to Gustavo Arruda, Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), the platform uses advanced models that anonymously consider online retail activities and in-store activities. "SpendingPulse™ provides clients with a better understanding of Brazilian consumers' purchasing habits in essential and non-essential spending, allowing clients to align their operational strategies with the identified changes," he comments.
Retail sales in April 2025
According to Mastercard SpendingPulse™, total retail sales in Brazil increased by 10.9% in April compared to the same period last year. The sectors with the best performance in the month included accommodation (21.4%), supermarkets (17.2%), and appliances (16.7%), all with double-digit growth compared to the previous year. The Easter holiday partly explains the strong annual performance.
As explained by Gustavo, the strong performance of the state of Santa Catarina (21.1%), followed by the state of Rio Grande do Sul (17.9%), helps to explain part of the overall performance. In the sectoral division, the food sector showed a significant result across the board.
In the case of food, the results show regional differences. While the states of Santa Catarina (26.6%), Espírito Santo (23.0%), and Rio Grande do Sul (19.7%) led the results, Brasília (13.3%), Pernambuco (13.0%), and Maranhão (13.0%) offset the performance.
Gustavo also mentioned that the results reflect different dynamics in the prices. According to IBGE, the overall retail inflation is around 6.2%, with supermarket prices at 6.5% annually.
