First-Time Visit to Havana's Dollar Supermarket Leaves Cuban in Shock: "I Almost Had a Heart Attack"

A young Cuban man and his mother embarked on their first visit to the dollar-only supermarket located at 3rd and 70th in Havana, where they were both astonished by the extensive range of products and the steep prices. The experience was captured in a TikTok video by user @johnfashion_official, who documented the well-stocked shelves filled with items often missing from other stores across the island.

As they navigated through the aisles, the young man couldn't help but express his shock at the variety of goods available, exclaiming, “And here we are without a dime. Oh, it's overwhelming. The price of the ham nearly gave me a heart attack.” Despite the abundance of choices, he and his mother were of the opinion that the prices were outrageously high, making these products largely inaccessible to the average Cuban.

Since its opening, the 3rd and 70th supermarket has been a point of contention. It exclusively accepts cash in dollars or payments via international cards, excluding the MLC (Freely Convertible Currency) used in other Cuban stores. This policy has drawn criticism because most Cubans receive their wages in pesos, severely limiting their purchasing power in such establishments. Moreover, the cost of certain goods far exceeds the nation's average monthly salary. For instance, a 500-gram panettone is priced at $15.20, a figure that is out of reach for many Cubans.

This supermarket's existence highlights the growing trend of dollarization within the Cuban economy and underscores the disparities in access to consumer goods, sparking discussions about equity and social justice in the nation.