Purchases in the Venezuelan market –which is progressing with a mix of resilience and daily reorganization, even in a complex environment– have not stopped in 2025, but they have become increasingly cautious and calculated: in the year, the average price per unit grew by 23.9% while unit sales only increased by 1.9% between January and October.
This dynamic was clearly demonstrated at the recent forum hosted by the market research firm Atenas Grupo Consultor —held at the Eurobuilding Hotel in Caracas—where the habits and priorities that define the Venezuelan consumer were revealed, along with the operational responses of retailers. This information is essential for understanding the consumption landscape in 2025 and knowing where to begin next year.
The fragmented –extremely fragmented– Venezuelan consumer
Although average unit prices have increased by more than 20% and average unit sales barely exceed 1%, these results are not uniform across categories: while food in general, medicines, sweets (“impulse purchases”), dairy products, household maintenance and non-alcoholic beverages show increases in both price and units sold, other categories such as protein, personal care and liquors have seen their unit sales decline in 2025.
But the country’s results shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as those of a single country. According to Atenas Grupo Consultor, Venezuela can be seen as overlapping with three countries, given its socioeconomic levels: 64% of the country resembles Nicaragua, with an average income of $239 per month. Another 29% resembles Colombia, registering an average income of $583 per month, and only 7% resembles Costa Rica’s standards, with higher levels of $1,383 per month.
This combination creates a fragmented market where three Venezuelas coexist on the same shelf, interpreting prices and brands from very different perspectives. Those living in Nicaraguazuela focus more on price in their consumption decisions, those in Colombiazuela on the quantity-price ratio, and those in Costa Ricazuela, at the highest levels, don’t look for prices but rather for more concrete value propositions.
The market is also a regional archipelago, with the average monthly shopping cart value being $29.49 in the capital, $28.51 in the East, $28.50 in the West, $28.43 in the Central region, $28.26 in the Central-West region, and $25.40 in the Andes. In fact, when comparing the two extreme regions, it turns out that leading shopping cart brands in the capital area are up to 50% more expensive than in the Andes, and if only the same brands are compared, the difference is over 20%.
And, beyond regional comparisons, today the Venezuelan household is segmented by its own composition:
- 43% fall within what Atenas Grupo Consultor calls extended families —large groups that even include members outside the main nucleus, such as grandparents— who spend $1,009 quarterly.
- 29% are veterans with children — households with heads of household over 40 years old who live with their children — consuming $1,036.
- 12% are young families —groups with heads under 40 years old who live with their children— whose spending is around $921.
- 11% of single families —young adults without children— who spend $760 on consumption.
- And the remaining 5% are empty nesters —adults over 60 years of age, without children in the home— who are positioned as the group with the lowest quarterly spending, at $838.
The consumer’s relationship with brands reveals that the consumer is constantly evaluating the effort-reward ratio in every purchase they make, but it depends on the type of household, since single families are the most loyal group, empty nesters and veterans with children are multi-loyal –that is, their decision is between two or three brands –, extended families are the ones who experiment the most with new brands without fixed preferences and young families are the ones who are most sensitive to price to those “cheater” or “polyamorous” consumers.
Why buy where you buy?
The choice of shopping channel is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Venezuelan consumer. Although many industry discussions focus on modern channels —supermarkets and pharmacies— Atenas Grupo Consultor points in the opposite direction, with 74% of its respondents mentioning having shopped at small grocery stores and bodegas primarily due to their proximity. 70% also say they shop at independent supermarkets because of their product variety and affordable prices. Only 45% shop at supermarket chains, also citing product variety and quality.
However, considering the overlap between options, the picture changes when you ask directly where most household shopping takes place: Independent supermarkets lead (38%), followed by corner stores and small grocery stores (36%), and supermarket chains (17%). This pattern reveals an interesting duality, since everyday shopping is done in smaller stores, while the main shopping trip—the one that defines the pantry and the overall budget—is geared towards medium-sized supermarkets that balance selection, price, and availability.
Four retail routes and an unexpected protagonist
Retailers —grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and bodegas— have responded to consumer dynamics using four distinct competitive models, based on variations in product assortment and units sold. According to Atenas Grupo Consultor, these groups include those they refer to as:
- Snipers: retailers who follow a strategy of smaller assortment, but with prices above the rest.
- Accelerators: that expand the assortment with prices 15% lower than the rest.
- Navigators: who incorporate additional assortments and seek to stimulate purchases with prices 5% lower than the market.
- Sleepyheads: those that reduce their assortment and even with low prices, see a drop in units sold.
Sniper retailers attract consumers with their perceived freshness, personalization, and proximity, focusing on personal care, snacks, and soft drinks. Accelerators attract with attention, proximity, and promotions on baskets containing items like food and protein. Navigators attract with variety and discounts on food, snacks, and soft drinks. Finally, sleepers —although they are more economical retailers— face difficulties maintaining traffic because their reliance on staple foods limits their ability to maneuver in a market where specialization and creating experiences are becoming as important as price.
Within this landscape, retailers’ private labels —for example, Farmatodo dental floss or Gama cookies— are emerging as unexpected players: their market value is estimated at $65 million, 40% higher than last year. In fact, the number of private label categories has grown by 12%. These types of products enjoy a high degree of consumer acceptance, as in their first weeks of launch, a private label sells three times more than a commercial brand. By the end of the first month, sales quadruple.
Nearly half of consumers recognize at least one supermarket private label brand, but 88% identify one from a pharmacy. And, in terms of perceived trustworthiness, private label food brands from both types of channels are at a level of 64%. Similarly, 81% of consumers consider a pharmacy private label brand trustworthy or very trustworthy in other categories such as personal care.
Symbiosis: The equation that sustains the market
The dynamics of consumer behavior and the retail sector in Venezuela reveal an increasingly interdependent ecosystem. Households, with their evolving constraints, motivations, and loyalty patterns, are driving transformations in supply, assortment, and sales tactics. In turn, retailers are responding with differentiated strategies, expanding or contracting their product ranges as needed, developing private label brands, and adjusting prices to shape shopper decisions.
The average consumer travels far when they perceive value, switches brands when the offer convinces them, and combines proximity with planning. This behavior compels supermarkets to be more than just points of sale: they must become spaces of trust.
With 2026 just around the corner, the Venezuelan market is sustained by a clear equation based on this symbiosis: success = trust + value + quality.
For retailers, building trust will be crucial. For brands, consistent quality will be their main competitive advantage. And for private label brands, the combination of lower price and higher perceived quality will continue to drive the market.
Venezuelan households are reinterpreting their relationship with retail, redefining their expectations, and establishing their limits and opportunities. Price is a significant factor, but there is a wide range of opportunities for both commercial and private label brands to develop their value propositions. Their challenge lies in understanding the need to personalize their portfolios, segmenting them by consumer type and region. In this context, leveraging data is crucial to avoiding losses.
