What Will Be the Impact of the "t-shirts Tax" on the Brazilian Industrial Properties Market?

Among the top 10 largest occupants of logistics condominiums, seven are retailers, including Shopee and Shein. SiiLA's research shows that Mercado Livre leads with over 1.4 million m², followed by Amazon with 534,000 m², and Magalu with 423,000 m².

In sixth and ninth place, Shopee and Shein occupy 346,000 m² and 215,000 m², respectively. These companies have gained popularity by selling products from other countries through an international B2C operation.

Shopee, through a statement, revealed that it supports the 20% import tax and encourages Brazilian sellers. Additionally, the company claims that 90% of its platform's sellers in the country are Brazilian.

Complete Statement:

"Shopee supports the measure approved yesterday (05) by the Chamber of Deputies that establishes a 20% import tax for products up to USD 50 and tax equality. Our focus is local. We want to further develop Brazilian entrepreneurship and the ecommerce ecosystem in the country, and we believe that the initiative will bring many benefits to the marketplace. There will be no impact on consumers who buy from one of our over 3 million national sellers, representing 9 out of 10 purchases on Shopee in the country.

We connect millions of sellers and consumers in our secure and accessible marketplace. We have invested heavily in expanding our logistics network, which is 100% directed to supporting the sales of national retailers. Currently, we have over 10,000 employees in two offices in São Paulo, 11 distribution centers, more than 100 logistics warehouses, and 2,000 collection points," concludes the statement.

Recently, Shopee has been expanding its operations within the country. The company has over 11 quarters of positive net absorption, hundreds of logistics hubs, and most recently, leased 70,000 m² at GLP Bandeirantes.

One of Shopee's biggest competitors, AliExpress, has positioned itself against the tax, revealing that product prices could increase by up to 44%, combining the 17% from Remessa Conforme with the new 20% tax. Unlike its competitor, AliExpress does not have a significant physical presence in Brazil, as SiiLA's research showed only small areas occupied.

The company emphasizes that this measure will harm the poorer population, as purchases up to $1,000 in duty-free shops are allowed. It claims that the government's decision will increase social inequality.

Complete Statement:

"AliExpress was surprised by the decision of the Chamber of Deputies to raise taxes on international purchases. If converted into law, the end of De Minimis will negatively impact the Brazilian population, especially those from lower classes, who will no longer have access to a wide variety of international products, most of which are not available in the country, at affordable prices. The decision discourages international investment in the country, leaving Brazil as one of the countries with the highest tax rate for international item purchases in the world. Additionally, the measure contradicts the opinion of Brazilians, who, according to a Plano CDE survey, believe that a fair tax rate should be up to 20%, not 44%, as planned for purchases below $50. Furthermore, 90% of the population opposes the current 92% rate, which is intended to be maintained for items above $50. The change, on the other hand, does not alter the exemption for international travel, which allows travelers to buy a variety of tax-free products up to R$ 5,000 every 30 days, further increasing social inequality," the statement says.