When buying a product at the supermarket, ordering food via an app or hiring a service, the Brazilian consumer pays a bill that goes beyond the advertised amount. A significant part of the final price corresponds to taxes which, although not always visible, directly impact the cost of living.

With the reorganization of the consumption taxation system, taxes They began to focus on fewer charges, with the aim of simplifying understanding and making it clearer how much the citizen pays for each operation. Even so, many Brazilians still do not know exactly which taxes are present in daily consumption.

According to tax lawyer Júlio Caires, understanding these taxes is essential for financial planning. “Today, consumers pay taxes in a more centralized way, but this does not mean paying less. The tax remains embedded in the price and directly influences the final value of products and services”, he explains.

Taxes that impact consumption

Currently, the main taxes that impact consumption are:

1. CBS (Contribution on Goods and Services)

Federal tax levied on the sale of products and provision of services in general, replacing old charges that previously appeared in a fragmented form.

2. IBS (Goods and Services Tax)

Charged by states and municipalities, it applies to both goods and services, bringing together taxes that previously varied depending on the type of activity and location.

3. Selective Tax (IS)

Applied to products considered harmful to health or the environment, such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and certain polluting items. This tax tends to weigh more heavily on the final price of these products.

According to Júlio Caires, the main change for citizens is in the way these taxes appear. “The idea is to provide more transparency, allowing consumers to identify more clearly how much tax you are paying on each purchase. This strengthens the notion of fiscal citizenship”, he states.

The tax expert warns that, despite the simplification, the impact on the pocket continues to exist. “Consumers don’t stop paying taxes. They start to see this charge better, which helps them understand why certain products become more expensive”, he highlights.

Knowing the taxes that are part of daily consumption is an important step to understanding price variationsmake more conscious financial decisions and monitor changes in the Brazilian tax system.

By Rayssa Martins