Direct selling in Latin America is one of the industry’s most important regional stories. South and Central America generated about $24.3 billion in direct selling retail sales in 2024, with more than 12 million people active as sellers, according to World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) figures. This guide breaks down the latest numbers country by country, explains what is driving them, and shows how to read regional statistics without being misled.

The 2024 numbers, country by country

WFDSA’s global report put total 2024 direct selling retail sales at $163.9 billion, essentially flat versus 2023 in constant dollars (WFDSA STATS 2025). Its top 10 markets list includes two Latin American countries: Brazil at No. 7 and Mexico at No. 8. The regional breakdown, as reported by Direct Selling Magazine from the WFDSA data report, looks like this:

• Brazil: $7,844 million in sales; 2,751,071 sellers
• Mexico: $6,842 million; 3,731,000 sellers
• Colombia: $2,541 million; 2,550,934 sellers
• Argentina: $2,362 million; 648,000 sellers
• Peru: $2,148 million; 695,685 sellers
• Ecuador: $925 million; 396,000 sellers
• Central America/Caribbean: $718 million; 566,007 sellers
• Chile: $458 million; 363,287 sellers
• Bolivia: $350 million; 449,210 sellers
• Uruguay: $45 million; 38,682 sellers

Five of the region’s markets (Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Peru) are among the world’s billion-dollar direct selling markets. Venezuela was suspended from reporting because of economic instability, so it is not in the totals.

For context, WFDSA groups Latin America with the United States and Canada in its Americas region. South and Central American markets account for roughly 39.6% of Americas sales, and the region’s 12.2 million sellers are about 11.7% of the 104.3 million people active in direct selling worldwide. In other words, Latin America has a slightly larger share of global sales than of global sellers.

Trend 1: Sales held up while seller counts fell

Compare 2024 with 2023 and a clear pattern appears. WFDSA’s 2023 South and Central America report showed $23,620 million in sales and 13,001,488 active sellers. In 2024, reported sales were higher at $24,260 million, but the seller count dropped by roughly 786,000 people.

Brazil is the sharpest example: its seller count fell from about 3.19 million in 2023 to about 2.75 million in 2024, a drop of roughly 13.6%, while sales in local currency rose about 6.3%, per WFDSA. Mexico (3.88 million to 3.73 million) and Colombia (2.62 million to 2.55 million) also shrank. Fewer people selling more per person can mean a shift toward more committed sellers and customer-focused models. It can also mean fewer people finding the opportunity worthwhile. The data alone does not tell you which, so treat any claim that the region is “booming” with care.

Trend 2: Beauty dominates, but wellness is strong in Mexico

Latin America has long been a beauty-first direct selling region. Across the Americas, cosmetics and personal care made up 30.3% of sales versus 22.8% globally, according to the same WFDSA-based report. Country mixes differ a lot: Peru gets about 61% of sales from cosmetics and personal care, while Mexico stands out for wellness, at about 36% of sales. Argentina’s wellness share is only about 4%. If you are comparing companies, check which categories actually sell in your country instead of assuming a U.S. product mix will travel. Our guides to beauty direct selling trends and the wellness category go deeper.

Trend 3: Women make up most of the sales force

About 81% of the region’s direct sellers are women, well above the 72.1% global average. Argentina reports the highest share at 95%, Brazil about 85%, and Mexico about 73%. That makes direct selling an important source of flexible work for women in the region, and it also means income disclosure, buyback policies and honest recruiting matter for millions of households. See our breakdown of women in direct selling for global comparisons.

Trend 4: Big regional companies

Several of the world’s largest direct sellers are headquartered in Latin America. On the 2026 DSN Global 100 product-focused list (based on 2025 revenue), Brazil’s Natura &Co ranked No. 4 at $4.4 billion, Mexico’s Betterware/BeFra ranked No. 10 at $828 million, and Mexico’s OMNILIFE ranked No. 12 at $603 million. DSN rankings rely on companies choosing to report, so some private firms are missing.

How to read Latin American direct selling statistics

Regional numbers are easy to misread. Use these steps before you quote or rely on them:

1. Check the currency basis. WFDSA converts local sales into U.S. dollars. Exchange rate swings can make a market look like it grew or shrank even when local sales did the opposite.
2. Adjust for inflation. Argentina had roughly 220% inflation in 2024 according to the IMF, as noted in the WFDSA data, so much of its nominal growth reflects prices, not more products sold.
3. Know what “seller” means. WFDSA counts individuals active in direct selling, and each country association defines activity in its own way. A large seller count is not the same as a large number of people earning a living.
4. Look at coverage. Some country figures, such as Bolivia’s, are based only on member companies of the national association.
5. Compare like with like. Use the same year’s report and the same constant-dollar basis when comparing countries.

What this means if you sell or plan to join

Large markets do not guarantee individual results. A country with millions of sellers also has millions of competitors for the same customers. Most participants in direct selling earn little or nothing after costs, and results vary widely. Before signing up with any company operating in Latin America, read its income disclosure, check whether the national direct selling association lists it as a member, and look up its returns and buyback policy. Our wider largest direct selling markets guide and country pages for Brazil and Mexico are good next stops. This article is general information, not financial advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is direct selling in Latin America?

South and Central America recorded about $24.3 billion in direct selling retail sales in 2024, roughly 14.8% of the global total, per WFDSA data.

Which Latin American country is the biggest direct selling market?

Brazil, with about $7.84 billion in 2024 sales, ranked No. 7 in the world. Mexico was close behind at No. 8 with about $6.84 billion.

Is the number of sellers growing?

No. Active sellers fell from about 13.0 million in 2023 to about 12.2 million in 2024, led by a sharp drop in Brazil.

Why did Argentina’s sales jump?

Mostly inflation. Argentina had roughly 220% inflation in 2024, so nominal sales growth overstates real growth.

Does a big market mean I will earn more?

No. Market size says nothing about typical earnings. Most participants earn little or nothing, and results vary.

Conclusion

Latin America remains a cornerstone of global direct selling, led by Brazil and Mexico and powered largely by women selling beauty and wellness products. The latest data shows steady sales but a shrinking seller base, which is worth watching in the next WFDSA report. Read the numbers carefully, adjust for currency and inflation, and judge any opportunity by its disclosures rather than the size of the market.

♥ Like 0