Last-minute Valentine’s Day shopping boosts clothing and fragrance sales
Clothing and fragrance led Brazil’s Valentine’s Day rush, as 91% of couples planned gifts and spending was expected to reach R$26.4 billion.
Last-minute buying gave Brazil’s Valentine’s Day a clear retail shape: clothing, fragrance and beauty products won because they were fast to buy and still felt thoughtful. A survey by Instituto Locomotiva, in partnership with QuestionPro, found that 91% of Brazilians in relationships planned to give a gift, with clothes and accessories leading at 57% of mentions. Perfumes, makeup and personal-care products followed at 35%, while sweets accounted for 41% of responses.
The strongest gifts were also the simplest to execute. Intimate apparel, a bottle of perfume, a clean-cut shirt, a cosmetics set or a box of chocolates could all be picked up close to the date and still feel personal if the presentation was right. The same research showed that 73% planned to mark the day on social media, and eating out led celebration plans, which helped explain why a dinner reservation or a well-chosen fragrance became a practical substitute for a more elaborate present.
Retailers had good reason to expect the rush. FecomercioSP projected real sales growth of 4.8% for Valentine’s-linked segments in São Paulo, including clothing and accessories and pharmacies and perfumeries. Nationally, CNDL and SPC Brasil estimated that 100.1 million consumers would shop for the date, moving R$26.4 billion through commerce and services at an average spend of R$264 per buyer. Another market estimate put the total at R$22 billion, with a R$238 average ticket, underscoring how wide the spending range remained.
The numbers showed how quickly the holiday had become a deadline-driven retail event. In 2025, 69% had said they bought a gift for the date; in 2026, the share planning to give something rose to 91%. That jump favored categories available in malls and e-commerce alike, especially clothing, fragrance and other small luxuries that could be bought at the last minute without feeling improvised.
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