Shopping in the Bahamas

The Bahamas has an established formal retail sector, especially in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama. On the Family Islands, the selection is often smaller and more dependent on freight, imports and available deliveries. As a result, product ranges and prices can vary considerably from island to island. Food is available in supermarkets, small grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, petrol stations and local markets. PricePal, a price-comparison platform (PricePal), offers price comparisons, shopping lists and notifications for listed stores on several islands. The platform lists 285 stores, but does not automatically cover the entire market. Under the official price-control law (Price Control Act) and the official price-control schedule (Price Control Schedule), statutory maximum prices apply to certain basic goods. These include, among others, butter, cheese, cooking oil, corned beef, condensed milk, flour, grits, margarine, mayonnaise, rice and tomato paste. Sugar is no longer on the current list. The regulated basic-goods basket (Breadbasket) and the extended regulated-goods basket (Extended Breadbasket) additionally include, among others, baby food, infant formula, broth, canned fish, fresh milk, mustard, laundry detergent, soaps and soups. Retailers may sell below the maximum price, but not above it. For New Providence and Grand Bahama, covered goods have a maximum retail markup of 23 percent; on the other Family Islands it is generally 26 percent based on landed or documented purchase costs. The wholesale markup is 13 percent. The applicable price list must be available at points of sale. Personal-care products, household goods, clothing and technology are sold mainly through pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores, local specialty shops and importing or cross-border online providers. For clothing and other goods, the provider's return policy should be checked before purchase because there is no uniform nationwide returns practice. For defective or substantially different goods, return, refund, repair or replacement may be available under the consumer-protection law (Consumer Protection Act). For faultless goods, however, there is no automatic statutory right to a refund merely because of a change of mind. Common payment methods include cash, debit and credit cards, bank or ACH transfers, licensed payment providers and the Bahamian digital currency (SandDollar). The Bahamian central bank (Central Bank of The Bahamas) supervises payment systems and payment providers. The licence status should be checked before using an online payment service. The national fast-payment system (Fast Payment System) is still being developed, so full nationwide availability should not be assumed. Value-added tax is generally 10 percent on taxable local supplies and imports. Since April 1, 2025, unprocessed food has been subject to a reduced rate of 5 percent where it falls within the statutory scope. For online orders from abroad, customs duties, value-added tax, freight, clearance and shipping-provider fees may also apply. A general duty-free threshold has not been verified. Depending on the shipment, customs clearance may require, among other documents, a manifest, invoice, packing list and declaration; restricted or prohibited goods are subject to separate rules. Electronic communications, electronic signatures and online contracts are legally recognized under the electronic-transactions law (Electronic Communications and Transactions Act). Providers are not required to accept electronic communication in every case. For an online purchase, check the seller's identity and return address, HTTPS, warranty terms, delivery time, total price including freight and duties, and the return policy. Enforcement and returns are often more difficult with foreign sellers. A receipt should state the provider and address, date, goods, unit price, quantity, fees and taxes. It serves as proof of purchase. For complaints, first contact the retailer in writing and attach the receipt, photographs, proof of payment, the offer, and delivery and customs documents. The consumer-affairs authority (Department of Consumer Affairs) handles complaints, conducts price controls and enforces price rules. The consumer commission (Consumer Commission) can investigate written complaints, mediate and provide information about possible remedies. For Nassau, the listed telephone numbers include (242) 604-9002 and (242) 376-1157, as well as consumeraffairssubmission@bahamas.gov.bs; access may differ on the Family Islands. Shopping is also subject to rules on certain single-use plastics. Non-biodegradable, oxo-degradable or biodegradable single-use plastic bags, certain single-use plastic tableware and the release of balloons are prohibited. Compostable single-use bags may be sold only under the statutory requirements and cost at least 0.25 and at most 1 US dollar plus value-added tax; the charge should appear on the receipt. Reusable bags avoid these additional costs. A uniform nationwide consumer recycling or take-back structure has not been established; individual island or retailer programmes may differ.