Facing severe shortages, Cubans team up on WhatsApp to swap and shop

People queueing in front of a grocery store in Havanna, Cuba. Many stores often run out of items before people can even get inside. — dpa

In Cuba, the search for basic goods such as nails or toilet paper can mean queueing for several hours at a store. To avoid the wait, many Cubans are joining WhatsApp and Telegram chat groups that alert them where they can find products or find someone looking to barter goods.

“Does anyone know where yoghurt’s available?” a woman asks a chat group. At the moment, no one can help – but someone has discovered cement and tiles at a store in the Cuban capital, Havanna. “Hurry though, the queue outside is already really long.”