Ahead of Jersey’s 2026 general election, the BBC is doing a tour of every voting district to hear what’s really bugging people. Spoiler: it’s the usual trifecta of high prices, unaffordable housing, and a new ferry contract nobody asked for.
In Gorey, Tracey Benn, owner of Café Louise, revealed that the cost of a tray of eggs has more than doubled from £3.60 to £7.90 in three years. Bacon went from £29 to £39 a case. And her coffee beans? In one night, a case jumped by £80. The culprit, she says, is the new flat-rate freight system introduced with the ferry contract from DFDS. The flat rate means every freight provider pays the same per meter of ship space, replacing the old system where high-volume importers got a better deal. The change was supposed to make the sector more competitive, but Tracey isn’t convinced: “I don’t know if it’s made it competitive. If I had to put my prices up like wholesale prices have gone up, I wouldn’t have any customers. We’re having to absorb these and just suck it and see what’s going to happen.”
Elaine Davis, a St Martin resident, agrees the ferries are adding to cost-of-living woes. She says her visiting London family are shocked by grocery prices: “You just notice that little extra bit of cost on everything - maybe that comes from the transport, but don’t get me started on DFDS and the new contract because that’s not good. I really wish we hadn’t changed from Condor. We travel a lot to the UK and the continent, and I feel it’s a step backwards.”
Then there’s housing. Debbie Krupski, 47, calls Gorey “the most wonderful place” but says staying there long-term is a pipe dream: “Life is great here - as long as you are based here. If you’re looking to come in, it’s very challenging unless you have a huge amount of money. The reality for me is that, unless there is some miracle-changing event, I won’t be able to stay here. I will have to leave at some point, which is very sad. I don’t want to, I want to be part of this community in the long-term, but it simply isn’t viable as a retirement for me.” She thinks Jersey has the potential and smart people to fix things but questions whether the vision is “in the places of influence and change.”
The BBC has approached DFDS and the Government of Jersey for comment - so far, presumably, silence or a carefully worded statement. The election is set for Sunday, 7 June. Candidates for deputy in Grouville and St Martin are listed here.