The state of Brazil’s gig economy

Welcome to the “Number of the Week,” where we choose a single figure that helps understand what is going on in Brazil. This week, we show that the coronavirus pandemic fueled the gig economy in Brazil’s transport sector.

1.4mn

app couriers and drivers in Brazil

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted many to replace restaurant dinners with food delivery via apps, while e-commerce became a common alternative to shopping in malls. It is not surprising, then, that transport and delivery apps have come to be such an important feature on Brazilian cell phones.

This pandemic-driven explosion of app platforms can also be felt in the country’s labor market. With 14.1 million unemployed in the country and an informality rate now reaching 40.8, many workers now find themselves in the so-called gig economy.

What does it mean? Also known as the freelance economy or the on-demand economy, the ‘gig economy’ describes labor relations...