Press Release – Inflation and Cost of Living

Rising prices are changing the ways Bermudians shop for food.

BERMUDA: Inflation, linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain issues, has left its mark on Bermuda over the past six months. As with many other countries worldwide experiencing rising price tags, the cost of food in Bermuda has been impacted as well. The impact of rising food prices on grocery shopping is keenly felt, with six in ten (62%) residents stating that they now must budget for food more closely. Another four in ten (42%) indicate that they must change what food they are purchasing, while one-third (34%) are obliged to purchase less food as a result of the higher costs. Just under two in ten (17%) say that they now purchase less healthy options. Most notably, only a small minority of residents (17%) say that they have not had to take any of the actions previously mentioned. Females are more likely than males to report having to purchase less food and purchase less healthy options.

Residents also report changing other dietary habits over the past half-year in response to these rising prices. Namely, a majority (60%) say that they are now eating out less, nearly one-half (47%) are switching to cheaper, lower quality brands, four in ten (39%) have been cutting back on meat, while two in ten (21%) elected to cut back on fresh fruits and vegetables. Just under two in ten (17%) have opted to cut back on alcohol (17%). While not insignificant, it is perhaps positive to note that only a small proportion (2%) mention having to now go to a food bank for groceries.

With such a large proportion now indicating they are eating out less, this could further hurt local restaurants and food establishments, many of which have already experienced fewer sales throughout the pandemic.

The results also tell us that most all Bermudians are feeling the pinch in some way, with just one in ten (11%) indicating they have not had to make any of these adjustments to their shopping habits that were previously mentioned. Cataloguing demographic differences, females are more likely than males to eat out less, switch to cheaper, lower quality brands; cut back on meat, as well as cut back on fresh produce.

These results are part of Narrative Research Bermuda’s Online Bermuda Omnibus® Survey conducted from March 3 – March 14, 2022 with a sample of adult residents of Bermuda (18 years of age or older). The results above are not commissioned by a third party and were collected independently by Narrative Research Bermuda. The results presented in this document were collected from our online survey of 380 members of Narrative Research Bermuda’s proprietary online panel of adult residents, Bermuda Voice.

For more information, please contact:

Graham Redford, Managing Partner, Narrative Research Bermuda, 295-0972 or graham@narrativeresearch.bm  

Margaret Chapman, COO and Partner, Narrative Research, (902) 493-3834 or mchapman@narrativeresearch.bm