President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is expected to sign next Tuesday (11) the regulation of the Workers’ Food Program (PAT). The information was reported by Folha de S. Paulo and confirmed by Estadão/BroadcastGrupo Estado’s real-time news system. The signing should take place in a ceremony scheduled for 4pm on Tuesday, at Palácio do Planalto, with the presence of the president.
The regulation of the program is awaited by the food sector, which has held a series of meetings in recent months with the ministers of Finance, Fernando Haddad, and Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho.
In September, minister Luiz Marinho said that a ceiling for the discount rate (the so-called MDR, from the English Merchant Discount Rate) and the shortening the time it takes to transfer payments to retailers in operations with food vouchers (VA) and meal vouchers (VR).
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He stated that the impact of regulation on food inflation will be residual. “It will especially benefit small businesses, small restaurants. Zero impact for workers.”
The Brazilian Association of Employee Benefit Companies (ABBT), which represents traditional ticket companies (Ticket, VR and Alelo, for example), are involved in the discussions; the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel), which represents commercial establishments; the Brazilian Supermarket Association (Abras), which brings together state supermarket associations; and the Brazilian Chamber of Worker Benefits (CBBT), which brings together technology companies already active in the market (such as Caju, Flash and Swile).
PAT
PAT is a voluntary membership program that provides tax incentives to companies in exchange for offering food vouchers and meal vouchers to employees. In October 2024, the Ministry of Labor vetoed the use of PAT in benefits paid to employees not directly related to food, such as telemedicine and gym discounts.
According to data from the Ministry of Labor, PAT currently serves more than 21.5 million Brazilian workers, of which approximately 86% receive up to five minimum wages.
These workers receive the benefit through approximately 300 thousand beneficiary companies registered in the program throughout Brazil. The annual turnover of the benefits market in the country is around R$150 billion.
