While food prices are soaring across the world it appears that Bermuda stores are helping customers by keeping prices low, and in some instances dropping them!

In fact at Supermart and MarketPlace the same basket of goods cost less than it did in June, at Lindo's the cost of the basket rose by just $3.30.

The information may come as a surprise to consumers as international headlines have bemoaned soaring food prices for the past 30 days. Sky-rocketing oil prices, emerging middle classes in India and China and increased biofuel production have all been blamed for customers having to dig deeper in their pockets to put food on their tables. Food prices in the UK rose a record seven percent in June compared with June 2007, and the British Retail Consortium's shop price index said that annual food price inflation jumped from 4.7 percent in April, to six percent in May and seven percent in June. Fresh food prices rose 8.4 percent year on year in June.

Meanwhile in the US the national average increase was 3.5 percent for April 1 to June 30.

In June we visited Lindo's in Warwick, MarketPlace on Church Street and Supermart on Front Street and recorded the prices of 20 items as part of a series looking into how international events are impacting your wallet, and specifically your food bill.

The same basket of goods — which included staple items such as eggs, bread, cheese and vegetables — cost $94.66 at Lindo's. But over at the MarketPlace, the exact same goods cost $102.87 and at the Supermart, it checked out at $106.39.

Considering the international headlines over the last 30 days it would have been fair to assume the prices would have increased in July for the same basket of goods. However, in two of the three stores it actually fell. And in the third store it rose by 3.5 percent.

This month the basket of goods at the MarketPlace cost $94.38, down $8.49 or more than eight percent compared to June.

At the Supermart the same goods cost $101.99 in July, down $4.4 or four percent compared to June.

And at Lindo's the basket of goods rose to $97.96, up $3.30, or 3.5 percent, from June.

Lindo's MarketPlace Supermart

Honey nut cheerios $4.47 $4.72 $5.15

Sunbeam white bread* $4.75 $4.75 $4.5*

Catelli spaghetti 500 g box $3.19 $1.88 $2.0

Cottonelle blue pack 4 $6.97 $5.26 $5.45

Ragu meat Pasta sauce 140z $2.13 $2.06 $2.35

Kraft cheese singles 24 pack $6.93 $6.59 $7.4

Dozen eggs A (yellow pack) $3.05 $2.96 $4.2

2% Dunkley's milk $3.89 $4.29 $4.55

1lb extra lean ground beef $3.75 $3.69 $4.99

1 bag Tyson's chicken breast tenderloins $12.83 $13.77 $12.49

6 pack red delicious apples $5.95 $5.95 $4.99

Breyers choc/van/straw ice cream $10.15 $9.66 $10.7

MinuteMaid country-style frozen orange juice $2.69 $2.49. $2.5

5lb russet potatoes $4.99 $4.49 $4.99

1lb broccoli $2.99 $2.49 $3.59

2lb carrots $4.99 $3.99 $3.99

1 340 gram Geisha Lightmeat tuna $2.35 $5.32 $5.05

Pictsweet mixed vegetables (frozen) $3.23 $2.96 $3.5

Totino's Crisp Crust Cheese pizza $3.53 $3.62 $3.8

Nabisco chocolate chip chewy cookies $5.13 $5.93 $5.8

Total $97.96 $94.38 $101.99

* Product was not available in all stores so the June price was used