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The Supermarket Sector Faces Unprecedented Challenges in Hiring Young People, Investing in Partnerships with the Army, New Technologies, and Seeking Strategies to Attract Professionals Amidst a High Job Offer.
The presence of around 350,000 open positions in the Brazilian supermarket sector contrasts with the increasing hiring difficulties recorded in 2025.
Supermarkets, historically known as the entry point for many young people’s first formal job, are facing an unprecedented scenario of labor shortages, a reflection of changes in the profile of workers, a decrease in unemployment, and the popularization of flexible and informal work formats.
Labor Shortages and Changes in Professional Profile
According to the Brazilian Supermarket Association (Abras), the search for alternatives to reverse this scenario has intensified in recent months.
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One of the sector’s main bets has been the establishment of partnerships with the Brazilian Army to attract young people recently discharged from mandatory military service and direct them towards formal positions in supermarkets.
According to Márcio Milan, vice president of Abras, the segment has the greatest deficit of candidates in roles such as stock clerk, cook, baker, kitchen assistant, and cashier.
The cooperation strategy with the Army occurs amidst a significant change in the recruitment process.
“Today, the company needs to seek out the worker. About 80% of reservists who conclude military service find work, especially when they take training courses and get closer to retail,” says Milan.
In addition to contacting reservists, supermarket chains have been investing in new communication tools, virtual selection processes, and job fairs to try to fill positions.
Another factor highlighted by Milan is the reduction of training programs for the sector, which further complicates hiring in specialized areas, such as bakeries and butcher shops.
For him, the decline in specialization and the growing search for flexibility among young people have exacerbated the challenge.
“Supermarkets, for decades, met their needs with young people in their first job. Now, we face a shortage of skilled labor and need to multiply our attraction strategies,” he explains.
Benefits and Incentives to Attract New Workers
Faced with competition from informal and flexible occupations, companies have reinforced the promotion of benefits offered to employees.
Among the differentiators are meals on-site, dental assistance, maternity kit, life insurance, legal and psychological support, and even the so-called “birthday off” — a day off on the employee’s birthday.
These initiatives aim to make the supermarket sector more attractive compared to other available alternatives, especially for the new generation, which increasingly values quality of life and balance between personal and professional life.
Unified Registration as an Entry Point into Retail
Another important area of action is the partnership with the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family, and Fight Against Hunger, through the program “Believing in the First Step.”
The goal is to train and insert people registered in the Unified Registration into formal job positions or entrepreneurial activities.
According to Luiz Carlos Everton, Secretary of Socioeconomic Inclusion at the ministry, since 2023, about 94,000 people from the Unified Registration have been hired by supermarkets as a result of agreements with major companies in the sector.
According to official data, approximately 98% of recent hires in the sector, recorded by the General Register of Employed and Unemployed (Caged) in 2024, are individuals from the Unified Registration.
According to Everton, the multiplication of these partnerships with large retailers, states, and municipalities has expanded the job offering for workers with different profiles and qualification levels.
Currently, more than 2.6 million people registered in the Unified Registration have higher education and are seeking a formal opportunity in the job market.
Young People Seek Flexibility and Purpose
Experts point out that the rejection of traditional jobs by young people is primarily due to a transformation in the profile of this audience and their professional expectations.
According to Evelyn Rodrigues, head of People and Management at Paschoini Advogados, the new generation prioritizes flexibility, growth prospects, purpose, and a healthy work environment, in addition to compensation.
She emphasizes that, at the same time, there are significant gaps in technical and behavioral qualifications among workers seeking employment.
Evelyn assesses that the partnership between supermarkets and the Army can contribute to solving the problem, provided it is accompanied by planning, integration, and appropriate training processes.
The expert warns that the organizational culture of retail differs significantly from the one experienced in military service, requiring adaptation, structured onboarding, and active listening to avoid expectation shocks or high turnover.
In the analysis of economist and professor at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Cícero Pimenteira, the main barrier lies in the perception of young people regarding formal and routine work.
According to him, many prefer activities such as deliveries, which provide flexibility in hours, while others only turn to supermarket jobs in situations of necessity, such as contributing to family income.
The specialist also identifies two distinct profiles: workers with previous experience in the formal market and young people who resist the idea of fixed routines and stable jobs.
New Technologies Expand Hiring Channels
In light of this new context, companies have been resorting to technological solutions to broaden access to labor and streamline processes.
Digital platforms, such as Helppi, created in 2020, are gaining space by connecting supermarkets and consumer goods industries to freelance professionals.
The tool, present in twelve states and the Federal District, allows companies to define the profile and conditions of job vacancies, while workers select opportunities that match their skills and availability.
Professionals receive online training and can be evaluated by companies after each experience, which contributes to increasing the security and efficiency of the selection process.
Hiring through these platforms aims to address the high turnover, absenteeism, and seasonal variations typical of retail.
Additionally, the digital model reduces the time and cost of traditional recruitment, facilitating the entry of young people and workers seeking greater flexibility.
Army Invests in Employability of Reservists
The Brazilian Army, through the Soldier Citizen Project, has also invested in initiatives to enhance the employability of reservists, with training aligned with retail and industry demands.
In 2025, the implementation of a digital platform exclusively to connect young military service graduates to opportunities in supermarkets and wholesale companies is planned, detailing vacancies by state, city, and qualification requirements.
For many experts, the sum of these strategies — from the active search for reservists, social partnerships, expansion of benefits, and adoption of technology — can redefine the role of the supermarket sector in job creation.
However, the success of these initiatives depends on the companies’ ability to adapt to the new reality of the job market and understand the expectations of Brazilian youth.
In light of so many changes, will the supermarket sector be able to reinvent its relationship with young workers and regain its prominence as the entry point to the formal market?
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