Cuba implements ‘Mercado de Barrio’ retail reform

Cuba is implementing a new retail model known as ‘Mercado de Barrio’ (Neighborhood Market) as part of a broader economic and social transformation plan. Managed by the Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin), the initiative aims to revitalize the existing network of state warehouses, markets, and butcher shops by incorporating non-state economic actors into the management of state-owned commercial facilities.

The program focuses on bringing essential goods closer to communities, particularly to assist elderly citizens in accessing food and hygiene products more easily. A priority list of twenty-four essential items—including milk powder, chicken, eggs, rice, sugar, and oil—receives specific tax benefits and close price monitoring to ensure availability.

In practice, the rollout has met with mixed reactions. In Santiago de Cuba, a newly opened market in the Frank País community displayed prices for items such as rice at 350 pesos, chicken at 750 pesos, and eggs at 150 pesos. However, some local consumers have criticized the initiative, arguing that the prices do not offer significant savings compared to other retail outlets and questioning whether retirees and workers can afford to shop there frequently.