By Ignacio Bilmes
Across Latin America, pressure is mounting, but not just on consumers’ wallets. LATAM retailers are also navigating a fast-changing consumer base that’s increasingly digital, economically divided, and emotionally driven. While the macroeconomic outlook for the FMCG market in 2025 remains stable across LATAM, according to Kantar’s Pressure Groups LATAM 2025 study, what lies beneath is anything but calm.
Retailers can no longer afford to operate with one-size-fits-all playbooks. Instead, they must adopt personalized, omnichannel content strategies to respond to their customers’ nuanced financial realities. Retailers that embrace tools like Publitas are finding themselves better equipped to adapt.
Pressure Is Personal: Segment Your Response
The Kantar study surveyed over 15,000 consumers across nine LATAM markets, from Mexico to Argentina. While general sentiment is improving, the region is far from uniform in behavior. For instance, while 28% of respondents feel more financially comfortable than in previous years, an equally large segment is downsizing purchases or avoiding certain product categories altogether. Crucially, the same household may alternate between trading down and paying more for time-saving or high-value items, depending on the week or category.
It’s important to treat every shopper interaction as context-dependent. Assume economic behavior is fluid, not fixed. Use dynamic formats (like catalogs, landing pages) to test segmented messaging and product bundles. Customize content by income bracket, geography, or past behavior, then optimize based on engagement.
LATAM shoppers identified several key concerns. The first relates to personal finances, like employment and sources of income. The second is social, which is connected to health, well-being, and quality of life. The third concerns the environment, with environmental disasters drawing particular attention.
Content can play a decisive role in addressing the core concerns of Latin American consumers by going beyond product listings to deliver value-driven, emotionally resonant experiences. LATAM retailers can build trust and relevance through transparent pricing, budget-friendly collections, wellness-focused content, and localized messaging. Catalogs also offer a platform to showcase sustainability efforts and community commitments, helping brands respond to rising eco-consciousness.
Shoppers Are Digital But Distracted
LATAM consumers are deeply connected: over 70% of households access the internet regularly, with smartphones as the primary entry point. And yet, digital engagement is scattered. Shoppers toggle between apps, search engines, messaging platforms, and retailer websites, making discovery increasingly fragmented. At the same time, 65% of LATAM consumers say they look for promotions online, while a growing share uses mobile devices to pre-shop before visiting physical stores. This is known as “pre-decided shopping”, where discovery happens digitally, but transactions remain omnichannel.
Retailers should treat their digital catalogs as discovery engines, not just transactional tools. Digital publications offer space for inspiration, education, and emotional engagement, especially when optimized for mobile-first, social-driven environments.
Brand Loyalty Is Under Threat, But Trust Is Not
Brand switching increases during periods of financial pressure. Kantar found that over 40% of consumers said they changed brands in the past 12 months, either for price or availability. But the picture isn’t purely transactional; trust, transparency, and relevance still drive decision-making, especially in household goods, hygiene, and food.
In other words, consumers are more open to trying new brands, but only when they’re presented in familiar, context-rich environments. Retailers can leverage trusted environments (like their own digital catalog or store-branded publication) to introduce new product lines or private labels without relying on external ads. Content becomes both the channel and the conversion layer.
Promotions Still Work But Only When They Fit the Moment
In Kantar’s words, LATAM households “oscillate between saving, hunting promotions, and giving up on certain categories altogether.” Promotions aren’t dying, but irrelevant or constant discounting is being ignored. Instead, timing and context matter more than ever. 55% of respondents said they only act on promotions when the messaging feels timely and “personally useful.”
This is where adaptive content wins. LATAM retailers using Publitas can deploy different versions based on timing, weather, local events, or shopping cycles, keeping the promotional content fresh and context-aware.
Growth Is Still Possible For LATAM Retailers…If You Redefine Value
Opportunities for growth still exist, but they no longer depend solely on volume. Instead, new “value pathways” are emerging: convenience, sustainability, emotional relevance, and flexibility are shaping what consumers are willing to pay for.
As the report states: “Las nuevas vías de valor redefinen la relación entre marcas y consumidores.” (“The new value pathways are redefining the relationship between brands and consumers.”)
Retailers need to highlight value beyond price. A well-crafted digital publication allows you to feature product benefits, usage tips, sustainability stories, or bundle suggestions, turning a static SKU into a meaningful, scroll-stopping experience.
Final Thoughts
Retailers in Latin America face a dual challenge: responding to short-term financial anxieties while investing in long-term brand trust and content agility. In 2025, the most successful players will be those who elevate their presentation of value rather than just cut prices.
Publitas provides a way forward: fast, flexible, personalized digital publications that turn product data into storytelling. By leveraging the power of flexible digital content, retailers can directly address the issues that concern their customers, even in uncertain times.
About Ignacio Bilmes
Ignacio is a seasoned digital commerce strategist specializing in the Latin American retail landscape. At Publitas, a leading SaaS platform that transforms traditional catalogs into dynamic, shoppable digital experiences, he spearheads growth and partnerships across the LATAM region. His work focuses on helping retailers bridge the gap between print and digital, enabling them to engage browsing shoppers through personalized, mobile-first content. You can find him on Linkedin here.
