NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Super Value owner Rupert Roberts says the grocery chain is working aggressively to contain food price inflation by locking in costs on key items through January 2026, while noting that government-imposed price controls are doing more harm than good.
Roberts said Super Value is currently booking 20 percent of its grocery items, which represent 80 percent of its overall sales volume, in advance, to keep prices stable for as long as possible.
“We’re booking those commodities through to January so we can hold prices and keep inflation down through the rest of the year,” Roberts told reporters. “We’re always working for the consumer, trying to secure the best possible prices.”
Roberts said the company uses a forward-buying strategy to stay ahead of anticipated global cost increases, including sourcing fresh beef from Brazil and securing canned goods like corned beef before production costs rise.
“When suppliers try to increase prices, we don’t just accept it,” he explained. “If their competitors haven’t raised prices, we switch. We drop the higher-priced product and stock the lower-priced one. We fight for the consumer 24/7.”
But while Roberts says competition is working to keep prices in check, he believes government-imposed price controls are making matters worse. He pointed to delays in the price approval process that have caused the company to miss opportunities to secure better prices from international suppliers.
“When we try to bring in certain items — like corned beef from Uruguay — and we apply for price control approval, the delay can be as long as three months,” he said. “By the time the approval comes through, the price has already gone up, and the consumer ends up paying more.”
Roberts argues that this outdated system is holding back merchants and ultimately hurting shoppers.
“Price control has really been a detriment to this country,” he said. “We may be the only country in the world still doing it this way. As far as I’m concerned, competition is the best form of price control — and the only one that works.”
The veteran retailer also reflected on supply chain risks, citing a close call with potential U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports that could have severely impacted perishables coming into The Bahamas.
“We import 18 containers of perishables three times a week,” Roberts said. “If those tariffs had hit, it would have been disastrous — not just for us, but for other importers too. It would have sunk us.”
Despite ongoing pressures, Roberts said Super Value remains committed to doing everything it can to shield consumers from rising costs. “This is what we do every day — we fight for value, and we fight for the people we serve.”
