DEBATE ENTRE FIDELIZAÇÃO COMERCIAL E PROTEÇÃO DE DADOS:

A PRÁTICA DE SOLICITAR CPF PARA DESCONTOS EM FARMÁCIAS À LUZ DA LGPD E O DIREITO DO CONSUMIDOR.

Abstract

The commonplace request for a consumer’s tax identification number (CPF) at pharmacy counters—a gesture repeated daily across Brazil may seem harmless, yet it conceals a complex dynamic of data collection and processing that few consumers truly grasp. This article explores how this seemingly simple act serves as the gateway to sophisticated loyalty systems capable of inferring sensitive health-related information from purchasing habits. Through a detailed normative and doctrinal examination, the study reveals how pharmacy loyalty programs operate in a context of marked informational asymmetry, casting doubt on whether consumer consent is genuinely free and informed. It critically assesses the weaknesses of the legal bases commonly invoked to justify compulsory CPF collection and highlights the challenges posed

by the LGPD principles of purpose limitation, necessity, proportionality, transparency, and data minimization. Moving beyond legal analysis, the article engages with Zygmunt Bauman’s reflections on “liquid modernity,” showing how personal data have become a strategic currency in fluid and increasingly instrumentalized consumer relationships. Ultimately, it argues that the routine request for “CPF for a discount” may mask significant informational risks, prompting deeper reflection on regulatory reforms, transparency requirements, and the need for future empirical research on data flows and their societal impact.