The Cuban regime has launched a new "neighborhood market" in Boyeros, Havana, promising to offer food and hygiene products at prices 10% to 15% lower than those of other outlets, amid ongoing struggles to access basic goods.
Located in the Sierra Maestra district of the Nuevo Santiago Popular Council, the facility was inaugurated by Betsy Díaz Velázquez, the Minister of Domestic Trade, as reported by Tribuna de La Habana on Sunday.
The official publication states that this initiative aims to revamp the network of bodegas, markets, and butcheries and "partially address the shortage of goods previously provided through the basic food basket."
The selection includes powdered milk, ground meat, hamburgers, chicken, sausages, eggs, vegetable oil, rice, sugar, wheat flour, coffee, grains, pasta, noodles, canned tomatoes, and instant soups.
Additionally, hygiene products like detergent, soap, toilet paper, deodorant, and toothpaste are expected to be available.
Authorities claim these items should be sold at a 10% to 15% discount compared to other stores, although the published information does not provide specific prices for each product or a detailed comparison.
This new market is the third of its kind to be launched in Boyeros. Similar markets were previously established in Santiago de las Vegas and the Armada Popular Council.
Michel Rodríguez Najaro, deputy director of the municipal government's Distribution Program, mentioned that the location is designed to especially benefit communities far from the town center and with a significant number of elderly residents.
"The aim is to gradually expand the range of products and achieve more affordable prices," he stated.
The Sierra Maestra establishment might adopt wholesale sales in the future. Authorities indicate that the program is being rolled out across all provinces, with Havana and Guantánamo currently hosting the most markets.
The market is part of 176 economic and social measures approved by Cuban authorities in June 2026, a package that includes changes in state enterprises, property and management, agriculture, subsidies, prices, trade, the private sector, and foreign investment, among other areas.
Among these changes is increased private sector involvement in commerce, gastronomy, and services, along with a gradual decentralization of prices and new relationships between state and non-state enterprises.
For neighborhood markets, the government offers incentives to private economic actors interested in managing or supplying these outlets.
The minister explained that they can benefit from a 5% sales tax discount and, in certain cases, an exemption from this tax when conducting wholesale transactions with selected entities within the Domestic Trade system.
The contracts also include an exemption from rent payments for the first two years and priority to retain workers who were already employed at the converted establishments.
The opening in Boyeros is part of an ongoing process in which old bodegas, butcheries, and other state-owned premises are being transformed into "neighborhood markets," with increasing participation from non-state management forms.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade is also promoting so-called supply markets, designed to conduct wholesale transactions under supply and demand conditions, allowing self-employed workers and other economic actors to stock their businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cuba's New Neighborhood Markets
What is the purpose of the new neighborhood markets in Havana?
The new neighborhood markets aim to provide access to basic goods at reduced prices, revamp existing retail networks, and address product shortages by partially replacing the distribution through the basic food basket.
Which products are available at these markets?
The markets offer a variety of food items such as powdered milk, meat, chicken, sausages, eggs, and rice, as well as hygiene products including detergent, soap, and toothpaste.
How do these markets benefit private economic actors?
Private actors can benefit from incentives like a 5% sales tax discount and potential tax exemptions for wholesale transactions, as well as priority to retain existing workers in the converted establishments.