Panel SA: Industry says retail finally woke up to fight smuggling

Sectors of Brazilian industry that for years have complained about the entry of smuggled products into the country competing with national production were encouraged to see the new retail effort to pressure the government for a solution capable of combating the sale of non-taxed goods in the so-called marketplaces, the foreign virtual malls.

Synésio Batista, president of Abrinq, an association that brings together toy manufacturers, says that retail finally woke up to the fact that it was not just a problem for the industry.

“It is a delight to have retail with us in this fight, which is eternal. We were losing alone, then we started to lose together with retail and our strength increased. We cannot accept that someone imports a product and does not pay tribute or does not comply Inmetro, if I have to comply”, says Batista.

Another historic spokesperson for the cause is Humberto Barbato, president of Abinee (Brazilian Association of Electrical and Electronics Industry).

“The electronics sector, which is affected by the sale of cell phones that enter Brazil irregularly, if invited to support this movement, will be together, because it is a problem that affects the industry as well”, says Barbato.

Jorge Nascimento, president of Eletros, says that in the home appliances and electronics sector, the problem is focused on small appliances.

He argues that, in addition to the loss of the industry by unfair competition, the problem hinders the collection of taxes and puts the consumer at risk.

“There are serious cases of hair straighteners that catch fire. Anyway, now, in a very positive alliance between retail and industry, we unite to sensitize governments to face and end this type of thing”, says the president of Eletros .

Joana Cunha with Andressa Motter and Ana Paula Branco