Retail sector loses R$ 31.7 billion per year due to lack of IoT investments

The absence of investments in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has caused significant losses in several sectors of the Brazilian economy. In retail, for example, the lack of automation and intelligent monitoring results in a billionaire loss. According to the Brazilian Association for Loss Prevention (Abrappe), in partnership with KPMG, the average rate of retail losses has grown from 1.21% in 2021 to 1.48% in 2022, totaling a financial impact of R$ 31.7 billion per year.

These losses are attributed to operational failures and inventory errors. The lack of adoption of advanced technologies, such as tracking sensors, radio frequency identification (RFID) and artificial intelligence, makes it difficult to monitor inventory and identify operational risks, reducing efficiency and increasing costs of companies.However, companies that have already adopted technological solutions for loss prevention have recorded significant reductions in operational losses.

But retail is not the only sector impacted by low IoT adoption.In addition to commerce, other areas of the economy fail to make significant gains due to a lack of digitization and automation.

: Most government buildings and public bodies still operate with corrective maintenance, without sensors for climate control and energy consumption, which results in wasted resources and high operating costs.

Industry and Manufacturing: Despite the advances of Industry 4.0 in production lines, the management of facilities within factories is still lagged. Many industrial plants do not use sensors for predictive maintenance of building equipment, environmental monitoring or automated climate management, impacting productivity and safety of the work environment.

Transport and Mobility: Subway, train and road terminal stations face challenges in adopting technologies to optimize hygiene and maintenance, which compromises the user experience and generates unnecessary operating costs.

The research of the Brazilian Association of Facility Management, Property and Workplace (ABRAFAC) highlights the advancement of digitalization in the hospital sector, where 52.7% of institutions already have alert and alarm systems for monitoring processes and equipment in real time, and 57.1% use visualization panels for operational management. This progress has ensured greater safety and predictability in hospital infrastructure, reducing waste and improving the patient experience.

EVOLV, specialized in IoT solutions, has been one of the companies responsible for this transformation in Brazil. With cases in hospitals, industries, state-owned and more than 25 airports, the company develops technologies that help in the digitalization and automation of building management, reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency. In retail, the adoption of these solutions can represent a significant saving of 40% and an increase in the competitiveness of the sector.