Price-cutting on essentials through a partnership launched last year between the private sector and the Government included reviewing the island’s embargo on milk imports, and how milk is “sourced and supplied”.

Alexa Lightbourne, the Minister of Home Affairs, commented on the now-finished Affordable Bermuda Basket, which concluded after July 31, in the wake of a call to drop dairy restrictions imposed decades ago to support the domestic industry.

Robert King, the One Bermuda Alliance MP for Smith’s North (Constituency 10), made the proposal to a backdrop of persistent complaints over smells and manure run-off from Green Land Farm, a major dairy supplier in the area.

Mr King said he aimed to push back on the 1997 Importation of Milk (Prohibition) Act, to do away with the intensive farming that he said was blighting the neighbourhood.

Last month, after the Cost of Living Amendment (No 2) Act 2026 was turned back by the Senate, Ms Lightbourne said the voluntary scheme launched under the Affordable Bermuda Basket had received a limited response.

The minister told The Royal Gazette this week that, beyond “taking a hard look at the reasons some essential food items cost so much in Bermuda and what practical steps can be taken to bring those costs down”, there had been a commitment to “review longstanding restrictions on certain food imports, including milk”.

She added: “The simple question we are asking is this: can Bermudians benefit from having access to more suppliers while still maintaining the high quality and safety standards they expect?”

David Burt, the Premier, said in July after an official visit to the Azores that Bermuda’s pursuit of closer ties with the islands could draw on its agricultural expertise, “especially in dairy production”.

This week, Ms Lightbourne said that carton milk and canned milk, which were both included in the affordability basket, had been classed as essential commodities because they were “everyday necessities for many families”.

“However, that designation does not mean that the Government sets the retail price of milk,” she added.

“Instead, it allows the Government and the Cost of Living Commission to closely monitor prices and better understand the factors affecting the cost of these important household items.”

She said: “For many years, Bermuda has relied on a limited number of sources for some products.

“We believe it is worth examining whether opening the door to additional suppliers could help create more competition, improve reliability, give consumers more choice and, importantly, put downward pressure on prices.

“This is part of a broader effort to strengthen Bermuda's food supply.

“As a small island that imports most of what we consume, we must constantly look for ways to improve resilience and reduce unnecessary costs.”

Ms Lightbourne said the Government had “already begun connecting local importers with additional producers and shipping partners overseas to explore new opportunities”.

Under the affordability scheme, which ran for nine months from November 1, 2025, participating wholesalers reduced the price of selected products by 10 per cent and participating retailers matched that reduction with a further 10 per cent discount.

Ms Lightbourne said that “a number of dairy products were included”.

“While that initiative helped lower prices on specific items, it was always intended as a temporary programme and did not set a fixed price for milk across the market,” the minister added.

She said that affordability as a whole remained “the larger issue”, as families contended with the pressure of mounting grocery bills.

“That is why we are examining every sensible option to help lower costs and increase choice, including how milk is sourced and supplied to Bermuda,” Ms Lightbourne said.

“Any changes must be approached carefully.

“We have to balance affordability with food security, product quality, a reliable supply chain and the interests of Bermuda's agricultural sector. But our goal is clear: to make essential goods more affordable for Bermudian families while ensuring they continue to have access to safe, high-quality products.”