The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

A government policy advisor yesterday branded The Bahamas as one of the world’s ten most expensive countries to live in as it unveiled an app to enable consumers to compare prices at different merchants.

Ian Poitier said PricePal’s launch was significant as it supports the Government’s agenda “about how we bring down prices” and ease cost of living pressure for Bahamian families. By comparing different products at various stores, it will give consumers better price transparency and enable them to identify lowest-cost options.

A national price comparison app, PricePal has also been introduced in a bid to promote fair competition as well as consumer empowerment. It is the result of partnerships between the Office of the Prime Minister, the Bahamas Trade Commission, Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) - which will have a role in managing the app - and the Consumer Affairs Department, which will be responsible for running and maintaining it, along with its developer, the Novio Group.

“I always want to start with just a key sort of data point, which is Tye Bahamas is one of the ten most expensive places in the world. I don't think we really let that land. A country of our size, and a country with all our advantages, and this is something that's obviously continued for a very long time, but it's getting increasingly difficult. Households, families, individuals are really struggling to make ends meet,” Mr Poitier said.

Senator Barry Griffin, chairman of The Bahamas Trade Commission, in a video address presented at last night’s private preview, said the app is his “baby” and that more than 1,500 Bahamians will be able to test it over a two-week period before it is officially launched to the public. He said Bahamians will be able to file consumer complaints to the Consumer Protection Commission via the app.

A Novio Group executive said the app currently features 51 retailers and is expanding across Nassau and the Family Islands. She said some merchants are also based in Grand Bahama, Abaco and Exuma, and more - along with their products - are being added daily. Consumers will be able to see a list of stores on the app.

Phase two of PricePal’s roll-out will stretch from today until March 1, which will include consumer testing and feedback, the continuation of retailer onboarding and feature development. Phase three, which will start on March 3, 2026, will be the national launch where it will be available nationwide, retailer participation will be extended and there will be more feature developments.

Rex Adderley, director of the consumer affairs department in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said PricePal will be maintained within its office where prices are monitored and regulated.

“We already regulate and monitor prices,” Mr Adderley said. “We already gauge retailers. We already collect pricing information. We already serve as a point of contact for core consumers. It therefore makes perfect sense that the Consumer Affairs Department will serve as an institutional home for PricePal. I am pleased to confirm this evening that PricePal will be maintained within the Office of the Consumer Affairs Department.

“Our team of inspectors will work closely with the platform to support the updating and verification of prices, and to continue engaging retailers to ensure that they have access to the system and are able to update prices directly in a structured and transparent way. This is an important step forward. It represents modernisation of how we carry out our responsibilities. It is it also represents a major shift in how we use technology and data to protect consumers. 

“For many years, the weight of Consumer Affairs has relied heavily on manual inspection, paper records and isolated data collection. PricePal introduced a new digital layer to work with. It allows us to see price information in real time. It allows us to identify trends and anomalies more quickly. It allows us to respond faster and more strategically to issues affecting the cost of living,” Mr Adderley said.

“The data generated through this platform will help policymakers better understand how prices move, how different sectors behave, and their targeted interventions may be required. This is especially important at a time when cost of living pressures remain one of the most significant concerns for Bahamian households. While no single platform can solve the cost of living challenge on its own, PricePal provides a powerful new tool to support smarter decision making, both for consumers and for government.”