20% Import Levy Pushes 38% of Brazilians to Abandon Cross-Border Orders, Survey Shows

Overview

• CNI–commissioned Nexus survey released Oct. 27 finds the share abandoning international purchases because of the import tax jumped from 13% in May 2024 to 38% in October 2025.
• Behavior shifted toward local options, with searches for similar items with national delivery rising from 22% to 32% as definitive abandonment fell from 58% to 42%.
• Other costs weighed heavily: abandonment tied to ICMS increased from 32% to 36%, 45% quit over freight charges, and 32% stopped after seeing delivery times.
• Impacts were strongest among people with higher education (51%), ages 16–40 (46%), higher-income earners (45%), and residents of the Northeast reported elevated effects.
• A separate LCA study published Oct. 28 estimates a 43% drop in monthly imports via Remessa Conforme after the levy took effect in Aug. 2024, reducing inflows by up to US$176 million per month, as CNI’s Marcio Guerra calls the measure a positive yet insufficient step for competitiveness.