Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
0 comments 
With the opening of almost 3 thousand new supermarkets in São Paulo and more than 36 thousand open positions, chains are racing to relieve the workload, test a 5×2 schedule, and create benefits to convince young people who reject heavy work and rigid routines.
Supermarkets are experiencing an expansion boom in São Paulo, but at the same time, they face a problem that cannot be solved with in-store promotions. According to sector data, almost 3 thousand new stores have recently opened in the state, and there are over 36 thousand job openings in supermarkets. In the Ribeirão Preto region alone, there are about 3 thousand opportunities. Even so, store shelves are filled with vacancies while there are not enough candidates willing to face the routine.
What is holding back is not the number of jobs, but the willingness to accept the traditional model. Daily shifts of more than 7 hours, a 6×1 schedule, only one day off a week, and an initial salary of around R$ 2,000 make many people give up. At the same time, competition is growing for more flexible jobs, such as daily workers who get paid by the day or gig workers who take on side jobs to supplement their income. In light of this, supermarkets are changing: they are testing a 5×2 schedule, loosening educational requirements, creating a corporate university, and even discussing the regulation of hourly work to avoid falling behind.
Supermarkets Grow, Generate Jobs, But Don’t Fill the Positions
The supermarket sector in São Paulo is experiencing one of the largest waves of growth in recent years. In the first nine months of 2025, almost 3 thousand supermarkets were opened in the state, a 40 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. At the same time, the number of formal job openings skyrocketed.
-
Mercado Livre has just started selling medications with delivery in up to three hours to your door, and this move could completely change the way Brazilians buy medicines on a daily basis.
-
In Dubai, rising tensions from the war in the Middle East are causing super-rich individuals to leave the Gulf and direct their fortunes to a new financial refuge in Asia.
-
“No one will make us change the Pix,” says Lula after the US report.
-
Lula responds directly to Trump and says that Pix is from Brazil and will not change under pressure from anyone, after a report from the United States pointed out the Brazilian payment system as an American trade barrier.
Today, there are more than 36 thousand job openings in supermarkets across the state. In the Ribeirão Preto region, for example, chains have about 3 thousand opportunities.
Still, managers and human resources teams report difficulty hiring and, particularly, retaining employees for longer periods in supermarkets.
In many cases, the problem arises during the interview. When candidates discover the schedule and routine in supermarkets, they become discouraged. The image of heavy work, long shifts, and little time off weighs increasingly on the decisions of younger applicants.
Why Are Supermarket Jobs Left Unfilled
The reasons for the surplus of vacancies in supermarkets start with the simple equation of routine and finances. In many chains, the daily shift lasts 7 hours and 20 minutes, with only one day off per week, in the famous 6×1 schedule. For those who grew up hearing about quality of life, this sounds like a heavy package.
On the other side, there are immediate alternatives. A daily worker who earns 200 reais per day and works 10 days a month can make almost the same amount as a supermarket employee working a full month in a full-time position.
The direct comparison between salary, effort, and scheduling freedom leads many to choose side jobs and informal work over formal employment at supermarkets.
Human resources specialists point out that today’s youth no longer accept the old work format in supermarkets, especially when they see more flexible options. While remuneration matters, the organization of the work schedule and control over one’s own time are becoming increasingly significant in their choices.
5×2 Schedule: The Supermarkets’ Bet to Alleviate the Workload
Faced with the challenge of attracting candidates, some supermarket chains have started to adjust the most sensitive aspect of the equation: the schedule.
Chains have already announced the transition from a 6×1 schedule to a 5×2 schedule, with five working days and two days off per week.
In practice, this means more rest time, more family time, and space to address personal matters without relying solely on Sundays.
According to managers and human resources teams, the initial results are encouraging. Employees report that the 5×2 schedule has improved their quality of life, facilitated commitments such as going to the bank or handling documents, and reduced daily fatigue in supermarkets.
Even so, there is a consensus that changing the schedule alone does not solve everything. Many candidates still view supermarkets as heavy, inflexible work environments.
This is why the sector is discussing, through organizations such as class associations, the regulation of hourly work in supermarkets, allowing employees to better choose their hours, the number of days, and even vacation periods, bringing the model closer to what young people are seeking today.
Supermarkets Relax Requirements and Create Corporate University
Another significant change in supermarkets is in the hiring profile. Some chains have already stopped requiring strict minimum educational qualifications, focusing more on behavior, attitude, and a willingness to learn.
To address the technical aspects, initiatives such as the corporate university within supermarkets are emerging, training professionals for specific roles like butchers, bakers, stock clerks, cashiers, and dairy and frozen goods operators.
As a result, supermarkets can hire people with less formal qualification and develop technical skills internally, while also forming partnerships to help employees finish their education.
This model transforms the supermarket environment into a kind of practical school. Employees join, learn a profession, advance in their careers, and have better chances for promotion. For those who have been out of the job market for a long time or have never had the opportunity to qualify, supermarkets are also a concrete gateway to a fresh start.
Who Are Supermarkets Hiring the Most Today
Recent data shows that supermarkets are becoming a major employer of young people and also of more experienced professionals.
According to sector surveys, young people aged 18 to 24 represent 34 percent of new hires in supermarkets, while professionals aged 50 to 64 account for 24 percent of hires.
This reveals that supermarkets are able to attract both those entering the job market and those seeking reemployment after age 50.
Looking at the roles, the picture becomes even clearer. The cashier leads with 22 percent of the vacancies, followed by stock clerks with 17 percent, butchers with 13 percent, and dairy and frozen goods operators with 12 percent.
In common, all these roles require constant presence in the store, direct contact with customers, and responsibility for restocking shelves.
In other words, supermarkets primarily need people on the front lines, in roles related to customer service and restocking. These positions typically require a consistent pace, physical readiness, and the ability to interact with the public at all times.
Supermarkets as a Gateway and Path to Career Growth
Amid the numbers, individual stories illustrate the impact that supermarkets can have on the lives of those who find a job.
Juliana, for instance, was unemployed for a year when she saw an opportunity at a supermarket near her home.
She submitted her resume, was called in to work as a cashier, and within seven months, was promoted to cashier tax assistant. The proximity to work helped her routine, and the chance to grow within the same chain was decisive for her to stay.
Such cases show that, even with demanding schedules, supermarkets remain one of the few sectors that hire en masse, provide opportunities for those with little experience, and offer real paths for internal promotion. For many, it’s a chance to escape unemployment, learn a profession, and build a career.
The Future of Work in Supermarkets Relies on Flexibility
In the end, the supermarket sector in São Paulo lives a paradox. There is expansion, store openings, tens of thousands of job positions available, but there are not enough people willing to take on the traditional routine.
On the other hand, there is a generation of workers who want income, but also seek schedule freedom, quality of life, and the ability to choose how and when to work.
Between the 6×1 schedule and the 5×2 schedule, between salaried positions and daily workers, between fixed employment and hourly work, supermarkets will need to reinvent themselves to avoid having stocked shelves and empty staff rosters.
And you, would you work in supermarkets with a 5×2 schedule if the salary and benefits were worthwhile, or would you only accept if supermarkets adopted a more flexible hourly work model?
-
-
2 pessoas reagiram a isso.