The Las Tunas Commercial Enterprise Group has halted the sale of regulated toothpaste included in the basic family supply package as of Monday. This decision comes as quality tests are conducted on the product following public concern over the expiration dates printed on the packaging.
The announcement was made through the Telegram channel "Bodega Las Tunas" and reported by the Las Tunas newspaper, Periódico 26. The decision to suspend sales responds to public worries regarding the expiration date on the toothpaste packaging.
The product in question is Mentifresh toothpaste, known for its antimicrobial, anti-cavity, and dual-action freshening formula. The 85 mL toothpaste is manufactured by Suchel, a Cuban state company located in the Calabazar Industrial Complex in Arroyo Naranjo, Havana.
The entity acknowledged that the product was supported by a quality extension granted by the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology of Las Tunas, valid until May 2026, which initially authorized its distribution in the regulated market system.
Nonetheless, due to citizen complaints, Las Tunas Commerce has decided to temporarily halt the distribution and subject the product to further testing.
The institution has pledged to be transparent with the results: "The final results of these studies will be communicated in due course, and actions will be taken based on the findings," the entity assured.
This incident highlights the growing distrust among the Cuban public towards a common practice in the rationing system: the so-called quality extensions, a mechanism by which provincial health authorities officially extend the shelf life of products whose printed expiration dates have already expired or are nearing expiration, allowing them to be distributed in the regulated system.
Ongoing Issues with Toothpaste Supply in Las Tunas
Las Tunas has a documented history of issues with toothpaste supply.
In September 2024, the provincial government distributed toothpaste to cover delays from the March-April period of that year, revealing months-long supply delays.
By November 2025, after more than eight months without guaranteed hygiene products since March of that year, the stores only distributed soap, prompting public complaints from citizens demanding toothpaste as well.
The issue is not confined to Las Tunas. In Havana, toothpaste has not been distributed through the ration book since March 2024, with attempts to recover delays extending until at least September of that year.
In 2023, the distribution of liquid toothpaste in the basic supply package sparked widespread outrage on social media.
Back in 2020, during the pandemic quarantine, then Minister of Domestic Trade Betsy Díaz Velázquez warned that toothpaste might take up to three months to appear in the regulated basic supply package.
The crisis in the supply of hygiene products underscores the chronic deficiencies of the Cuban rationing system, exacerbated by foreign currency shortages, logistical problems, and raw material supply issues that have reduced the production capacity of state enterprises like Suchel.
The tension between the state's need to distribute products with quality extensions and the public's distrust of outdated expiration dates on packaging has become a recurrent conflict that the regime has been unable to resolve for years.
Understanding the Toothpaste Supply Issues in Cuba
What prompted the suspension of toothpaste sales in Las Tunas?
The suspension was triggered by public concern over the expiration dates printed on the toothpaste packaging, leading to quality tests being conducted on the product.
What is the role of Suchel in the toothpaste supply issue?
Suchel is a state-owned Cuban company that manufactures the Mentifresh toothpaste involved in the supply issue. The company's production capacity has been affected by raw material shortages and other logistical problems.
What are quality extensions, and why are they controversial?
Quality extensions are official extensions of a product's shelf life granted by provincial health authorities, allowing products with expired or near-expiry dates to be distributed. They are controversial due to the public's distrust of the safety and quality of such products.