The year 2025 will be remembered as the year in which the people’s wallets were punished by high prices everywhere. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, food prices increased so much that neither eating at home nor eating out is affordable anymore. There is no way to escape the blow of rising prices — the people have no escape! As if that were not enough, 2026 will begin with an increase in the price of bread. A loaf that cost 5 florins in 2025 will cost 5.75 florins at the beginning of January 2026 an increase of 15%!
In November 2025, Food & Catering services prices increased by 0.4% compared to October 2025. Thus, the upward trend continues, after a 0.1% rise in the previous month. This is reported by CBS. Both the cost of food at home and food consumed outside the home increased, meaning consumers have almost no option to avoid price increases. Food-at-home prices also rose by 0.4%. In this category, nine of the eleven product groups increased. The strongest increase was recorded in vegetables, which became 2.2% more expensive in a single month. Milk and eggs also increased significantly by 1%, while fruit (0.7%), non-alcoholic beverages (0.5%), and sugar and sweets (0.5%) also became more expensive. The only clear price drop was observed in potatoes and other tubers, which fell by 1.2%. Eating outside the home, including restaurants and take-away meals, also became more expensive. In November 2025 this category showed a price increase of 0.3%. This means that both households cooking at home and people depending on outside meals are facing higher costs. Minister Wever also “gifted” the people a gas price increase which has still not been reversed.
People enter supermarkets with fear because the cost of living is so high that 100 florins feels like 10 florins. Our people were promised by the AVP-Futuro government that there would be relief, that the cost of living would decrease, and that refrigerators would be full again. Today the reality is different. Both the Central Bank and the Central Bureau of Statistics have confirmed explosive increases in food prices, and people’s wallets are emptier than ever.
Wherever people turn, they are hit by price increases. The price of water has not gone down. The price of electricity has not gone down! The price of gasoline was increased as a Christmas “gift” by Geoffrey Wever, the price of gas went up, and food and beverage prices have seen explosive increases!
The promised relief is NOT being felt; on the contrary, people feel betrayed and deceived. Refrigerators are emptier than ever, people have been punished with gas price increases, and purchasing power continues to decline rapidly. Nothing is being done to improve purchasing power for those earning minimum wage and for the middle class.
The subsistence minimum increased again during 2025, meaning it has become even more difficult for families to survive in Aruba, and the government stands by with crossed arms. We in MEP see no intention from this government to take action to relieve your wallet and reduce the cost of living.
This year must bring change so that those most affected can feel relief. In every supermarket people enter, they see the face of Geoffrey Wever on the shelves and are afraid to shop! In a country where the government has more than 500 million florins in surplus, it is unacceptable that so many people are suffering! The prosperity has not been shared as promised!