Affordable Bermuda Basket Launches
“The Ministry of Home Affairs today announced the launch of the Affordable Bermuda Basket, a “cost of living initiative under the Government’s Affordable Bermuda Agenda, introduced on October 9th, 2025.”
A Government spokesperson said, “The initiative will run from November 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026. The Affordable Bermuda Basket is a curated list of everyday grocery essentials and trusted household brands that are now available at reduced prices at Lindo’s and Marketplace Stores across the island.
“This initiative has been facilitated through partnership between the Government, local wholesalers, and retailers to deliver immediate savings to households.
“Through this initiative, local wholesalers have agreed to apply a 10% reduction on designated brand-name products. Retailers have matched this with an additional 10% discount, resulting in savings on essentials for the consumer.
“This affordability initiative reflects the Government’s steadfast commitment to lowering the cost of living and delivering tangible relief to the people of Bermuda.”
Today the Minister of Home Affairs Alexa Lightbourne said, “In February, the Ministry of Home Affairs was given a clear mandate to address the cost of living. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, we developed the Affordable Bermuda Agenda, grounded in feedback we received directly from the people of Bermuda.
“Food affordability emerged as one of the most pressing concerns for families, and today’s launch of the Affordable Bermuda Basket is a direct response. This 9-month initiative is designed to provide short-term relief while affordability legislation and policy is reformed and are implemented. It reflects the Ministry’s core values of action, accountability, and collaboration, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors to lead with purpose.”
“We know that lasting progress requires partnership,” Minister Lightbourne added. “This Basket reflects meaningful collaboration with community voices and retail partners. It shows what’s possible when we put Bermudians first.”
A Government spokesperson added, “The Ministry extends its sincere thanks to the local wholesalers and retailers who made this initiative possible, including: BGA, Butterfield & Vallis, Dunkley’s, Viking Food Ltd., The Lindo’s Group of Companies and The Marketplace Stores.”
A spokesperson for Lindo’s stated, “Lindo’s is committed to making groceries as affordable as possible for our customers, with nearly a thousand items on sale each month and two discount days each week. We support the Government’s efforts to ease the cost of living and will continue doing our part to provide value to the community.”
A Government spokesperson added, “The public can view the full list of items included in the Affordable Bermuda Agenda and the Affordable Bermuda Basket by visiting: www.costofliving.gov.bm.”
So who is running this racket?
Uh, the grocery stores are already doing this. They are called ‘weekly specials’. Additionally, stores have been offering discount days since OBA days. Who do the PLP think they are fooling?
Now, if the markets really wanted to be creative, though it is nothing new, they could issue customer loyalty cards giving an across the board discount, maybe even points for discounts on gas purchases.
It is the name of the game across the US and Canada. Got 10cents off a gal on diesel a few weeks ago. Limit was 30gal.
No doubt the markets build in an extra markup to cover all of these discount shenanegens but hey, everyone loves a discount.
“provide short-term relief while affordability legislation and policy is reformed and are implemented”
The principles of economics will not allow legislation to lower the cost of living. Why is that so difficult for the PLP Government to understand? If the amount a store or wholesaler can charge for an item does not allow a reasonable profit, the store or wholesaler will not offer that product.
Most countries can weather the storm of a a 10 % increase in the cost of living many can nit , it all started when a major business company increased the prices by 10 % i am sure you know why, the USA was facing to same problem with oil.
Other business panicked and increased their prices . Next came wage increases by 10 % for some but not for all. We were and still are living off the skin of the Rice pudding .
There is no country who can survive dramatic and devastating price increase that came when the cost of food went up. Cant blame the food stores. they have fresh food losses.
and what did we do? We just sit on our thumbs ! But ! what is it that work its called a national recession. if you can not afford it you can not buy it .
The part blame went to Covid 19 ” with the other question is still being asked. Why did so many People leave the Island ? A brain drain.
The recent exodus from Bermuda is nothing compared to the number of wealthy people who fled Bermuda in 2006 and 2007 (before the economic crash).
As for retail price inflation, your example of 10% is way out of line with what our Minister for Economy and Labour has been telling us for the past 5 years. Government announcements have consistently told us that retail price inflation in Bermuda has been lower than that experienced in the U.K., the U.S. and Canada.
NO LUNCH… WE ARE SAVING LIGHT AND AT THE SAME LOOSING TIME: >>> If Bermuda keeps on going on the way it does there will be no lunch
Bermuda went into reverses gear one again . At 6.00 PM it is dark outside and raining.
When it comes to day light saving Bermuda becomes the looser, as we sit near latitude 32 ot 32+ degrees up from the equator.
I did not think we ever needed what they call day light saving.
Outside are we saving the dark? not the light ! that cost Bermuda lots of money, B.E.L.Co will jump for joy but not saving fuel. The timing has always been all wrong That cannot be to every bodies advantage.
Bermuda is doing a very poor job at managing the light of day.
We claim to be leaders may i ask leaders of what ?
We are getting used again and again . Can any body tell me what advantage there are to driving home in the dark ? Bermuda needs to think about job rotation with 3 shifts per day to create more employment night shopping with shift work who say the shops should close, seniors can go back to work