The forgery of distilled drinks in Brazil increased by 25.8% in one year, from 2023 to 2024, show data from the Brazilian Association of Distilled Beverages (ABBD). The products are at the center of one, which caused poisoning and at least five deaths.
The distilled drinks are the main impacted by the illegal market, according to ABBD data, raised in research commissioned to the Euromonitor. It is estimated that 33% of the total Brazilian whiskey market is illegal. This percentage is 27% for vodka, 18% for cachaça, 15% for GIN and 7% for other distillates. In the case of beer, 2% of the market is unlawful and, in wine, 7%.
Less smuggling, more forgery
The distilled drink sector observed last year a migration in the profile of unicitudes involving its products. The sector representative association expects inspection measures in the interior of the country to have the same effect as border actions.
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“The inspection actions that are being carried out demonstrated a drop in this total illicit market, with a direction to internal falsification. It decreases there in the smuggling, the border actions, but this drives the internal falsification,” says the president of the Brazilian Distilled Beverages Association (ABBD), José Eduardo Macedo Cidade, to Infomoney.
Research commissioned by the Association to Euromonitor pointed to a 25.2% reduction in cases of smuggling and beverages distilled in 2024 compared to 2023. In addition to surveillance actions, the very dollar discharge macroeconomic context itself helps to explain the scenario.
On the other hand, growth in the crime of forgery was almost the same dimension in the same period, 25.8%. The research, published less than a month ago, pointed to “risks to the Brazilian consumer and industry” before public cases involving the tampering of methanol distilled drinks.
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Tougher inspection and punishment
According to the calculations of the survey, the fiscal loss caused by illicitudes linked to the beverages was $ 28 billion in 2024, or the equivalent of 12% of the entire SUS budget in the same year.
ABBD’s main claim today is the characterization of the forgery of alcohol as a heinous crime. “Our legislation is very simple. There is no more severe pity for those who falsify drink, and the time has come for Congress to make the projects that are treating this crime,” says City.
Research data commissioned by the association show that the legal market of distillates grew 0.4% by 2024, while the illicit reduced about 12%. Still, it is estimated that the illegal portion in 2024 has moved the same as 158 million bottles of 750ml of spirits.
