INFORMAL COMMERCE ON URBAN TRAINS IN THE CITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Informal trade is a global phenomenon. In Brazil, street vendors was already present in the period of Portuguese and imperial colonization, with the sale of various products such as fruits, sweets, breads and homemade drinks on the streets of big cities, especially in Rio de Janeiro. With the expansion of the railway network, street vendors began to follow the flow of passengers and sell a variety of goods, from foodstuffs to accessories for cell phones on the train platforms and wagons. This study with an ethnographic approach presents informal trade in trains in the city of Rio de Janeiro during the pandemic, from street vendors and their working conditions. The results show that the number of street vendors increased during the pandemic, as well as the variety of products offered to the public. In addition, they indicate that customers have reduced, either because of the sanitary conditions imposed by the Government, or because of the loss of purchasing power.