Pharmacies, health and wellness services, and beauty are the segments that stand out most when it comes to consumer use of WhatsApp in Brazil. The app is used for customer service, sales, and customer relations.
According to data presented at Infobip CX Unlocked* in Miami (USA) by Juan Pablo Giraudo, Meta’s client partner, convenience, speed of response, and the ability to keep a history of conversations are the main factors that explain the preference for the channel.
“Brazil is the most incredible use case in terms of integration, with the search for medications through a pharmaceutical service. There, you can get your prescription, send the PDF format to the pharmacy, and receive the payment link,” says Giraudo.
Popularity of WhatsApp in Brazil
It’s not just pharmacies, health, and wellness and beauty services that make WhatsApp popular for customer service in Brazil. With 96% of the online population using WhatsApp, the country stands out as one of those where the app is most integrated into consumers’ lives: 66% say they interact with businesses through the app daily or weekly. The rate is well above the average of other countries, such as Argentina, which registered 42%, Italy, with 49%, and Canada, with 59%.
In 2024, the number of consumers who use WhatsApp to communicate with companies grew by 5% and reached 89%. The trend was also observed in other countries, such as Canada, with 87%, and Argentina, with 86%. In Italy, the increase was 7%, reaching 80% of users.
Bar and restaurant delivery
Sales via WhatsApp also already represent a considerable portion of the revenue from delivery for bars and restaurants. A survey by Abrasel, conducted with 2,176 owners of establishments in the food-service sector throughout Brazil, showed that more than a quarter of the revenue from food delivery already comes from orders made via the messaging app.
The penetration of WhatsApp in delivery is 63%, still below third-party platforms, such as apps/marketplaces (e.g., iFood). According to the survey, 78% of restaurants will use these channels in 2025, while 41% will still receive orders by phone and 39% will invest in their own apps or websites (the survey allowed more than one answer).
In sales, marketplaces still account for 54% of revenue, followed by WhatsApp (26%), the establishment’s own app/website (12%) and phone orders (8%). “The growth of WhatsApp is natural, as it gives more control to establishments”, reveals Paulo Solmucci, CEO of Abrasel.
*The journalist attended the event at the invitation of Infobip.
Image: Envato
**This text was translated by AI
