Why is the place so hard?
It is a question that has gone viral on social media, but it has served as a stark marker of the economic reality faced by most citizens as most have noted the cost of living has largely increased.
This reality that has not gone unnoticed by businesses across industries.
Many companies, in the face of rising costs, have committed to value option promotions to encourage sales.
This is perhaps most exemplified in the supermarket industry, where monthly many of the major chains adverstise sales campaigns with an emphasis on consumer savings.
Today the Business Guardian assesses if those deals are giving consumer better returns than in previous years?
An examination of grocery prices dating back to 2023 has revealed a nuanced answer.
Comparing Tru Valu’s promotional flyers in 2023 with its pricing in 2026 shows that some produce & fresh goods, and staples saw modest to moderate price increases. For instance, fresh callaloo packs were listed at $14.95 in 2023, but rose to $16.95 in 2026, whereas an 8-pack of Gala apples went from $18.95 to $20.00.
Most would have noted that alcoholic beverages have increased significantly after the 100 per cent duty increase in last year’s budget, but packaged juices and soda drinks also saw an upward movement based on the data: Fruta one-litre juices moved from two for $19.50 in 2023 up to two for $23.95 in 2026. Soft drink bundles in 2026, for example, Coca-Cola’s two-litre bottles retailed at two for $18 in the 2023 promotion but are now listed at two for $18.95.
However, not everything cost more today; pasta in particular had maintained its price while other staples dipped in price occasionally.
This was not the case for meat and seafood, as prices largely rose per pound, although in many cases Tru Valu introduced bulk fresh/frozen meats to give value options to customers as a trade off.
At two other Supermarket chains that many consumers associate with value option sales, Better Deal Supermarket in Aranguez and the Xtra Foods supermarket chain there were similar trends with regard to meat and juices.
A review of Xtra Foods’ popular twenty for plenty promotion did see variations on some products, which suggested “shrinkflation,” as the prices were often kept at $20 while the quantity provided per bundle was reduced. Once again, Gala apples and Fruta juices and soft drink specials were among those who saw that change.
However, like Tru Valu pasta and other staples, prices largely remained stable while there were some significant increases in some personal care items such as soaps and shampoos.
But a review of the data, and a comparison of today’s prices with the cost of items in the 2023 Business Guardian article “How far are your dollars going?” suggested that consumers who shopped exclusively when these promotions were in effect were indeed finding better value overall.
In the 2023 article, the Business Guardian looked at Massy Stores’ “bargain bag” which was introducted during the pandemic and priced at TT$300 to help households afford basic staples, including flour, sugar, rice, milk, peas, and toiletries.
Comparing prices on the promotions to that $300 value bag, as well as the Ministry of Trade, Investment & Tourism’s supermarket retail prices dating back to 2023, revealed that while individual item costs have risen since 2020, strategic selection of promotional bundles allows shoppers to construct a complete 15-to-18-item essential family basket for under $300 in 2026.
However, in most cases, that would require consumers to shop at various supermarkets as opposed to one to properly maximise their dollar.
Newly installed president of the Supermarket Association of Trinidad of Tobago (SATT), Kevin Kissoon, confirmed that customers were indeed being more deliberate in their shopping, hunting to take advantage of multi-item bundle specials.
He said, “We are seeing that people are paying closer attention to value. They are comparing prices, looking at promotions, considering different brands, and sometimes changing the quality or type of products that they purchase”
Apart from bargain hunting, he stressed that convenience was another factor that played a role in customer spending, a trend he had noticed post-pandemic. He explained that customers were looking at time-saving solutions alongside cost efficiency, which also shaped how supermarkets expanded or adjusted their offerings.
Kissoon, the general manager at Tru-Valu Supermarket, explained that supermarket prices had been impacted by a multitude of factors, noting that global events, more often than not, impact business costs.
Kissoon said that while there had been many challenges along the supply chain which definitely saw certain imported goods in particular increase in cost, in many cases local supermarkets had absorbed those shocks.
“Not all increased input costs make their way to the shelves,” Kissoon said, “In many cases, supermarkets absorb cost increases or prolong a price increase that we have stock in our warehouse to last a specific period, so we prolong that price increase to allow customers to rally.”
He said supply chain issues have led the local supermarket sector to explore different trade routes and partnerships, with greater discussions happening within the Latin America market.
He confirmed that the increase in promotional campaigns is an attempt by the industry to keep essential goods accessible.
“You see it in these platforms daily with supermarkets running various promotional and sales campaigns, all centred on service and customer satisfaction. When you look at it, and you really analyse it, it’s all centred on service and customer satisfaction. Supermarkets continue to execute these campaigns while grappling with all the challenges that we have spoken about prior,” he said.
He continued, “The ability of a supermarket to provide that value to the consumer is influenced by what is happening throughout the supply chain from the producer, the manufacturer, the importer, distributor, retailer. So our approach has to continue being a collaborative and balanced one.”
Kissoon said in his new role, he and the new board of SATT had to look at ways to maintain efficiency and competitiveness in the face of these challenges, as the industry was interwoven with most of the country.
“Really and truly, the supermarket industry touches almost every household in T&T. As we know it, we employ thousands of people. We support families, and we really create opportunities for a lot of other supporting businesses and service providers as well. Therefore, I believe that the newly elected board has a solemn responsibility and commitment to all of these people who really are intrinsically connected to this industry one way or the other,” he said.
“My goal, alongside the SATT board, is to strengthen that as a united, credible, and really a proactive voice for the supermarket industry. I wanted to have a stronger engagement with government suppliers, manufacturers, farmers, service providers, and all these other stakeholders in order to build a stronger, sustainable, and really more resilient supermarket sector.”
He explained that there were elements of that resilience already on show, as in the midst of growing concerns about the shortage of chicken in the country, supermarkets had largely managed to keep stock available for consumers.
In the long run, Kissoon said he hoped the association would meet with government and stakeholders with a view to developing local production capacity as a vital way to build national resilience against these disruptions.
This, he said ultimately, would help those consumers, currently stretching their dollars through various promotions, see their salaries reach just a bit further.
