Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antiguans and Barbudans should begin seeing cheaper supermarket prices “in the next few weeks,” announcing sweeping cost-of-living measures during Thursday’s presentation of the 2026 national budget.
Browne revealed that the government is wiping out the 42% Common External Tariff (CET) on a wide range of imported food items — including beans, butter, vegetables, fruits, cereals, oils, canned meats, fish and baby food — in an effort to ease household pressures as global prices stabilize.
“Normally, goods that come to our country carry a 42 percent tax. We’re wiping that out,” Browne told Parliament. He warned supermarkets against absorbing the savings instead of passing them on to consumers. “If they don’t reduce the prices, let us know… The savings, all of it, must go to the people.”
The Prime Minister said the policy will work alongside a series of continuing subsidies on fuel, LPG, electricity and essential foods, as well as a doubling of the government’s food voucher programme in 2026. Nearly 7,000 pensioners and more than 1,600 vulnerable households will continue receiving direct support.
Browne noted that inflation has already moderated sharply, falling to an average of 1.4 percent between January and August 2025, with prices even declining by 1 percent in September. He credited improved global supply chains, lower international commodity prices and government intervention for easing pressure on families.
The government will also suspend duties on selected non-CARICOM foods, deepen its partnership with Guyana to import more affordable staples and maintain ABST zero-rating on essential goods. Browne said these initiatives are designed to ensure “no household is left behind.”
“We remain committed to protecting our precious and powerful people,” he said. “Development must ensure that every family benefits.”
Further details on the cost-of-living measures are expected during next week’s budget debate.
