The Price Control Department was established by the Government of Antigua and Barduda in 1958 as a policing agency to deal with unfair trading practices by the business sector. The officer who carried out daily inspection then was called the Supply Officer, who would post the price of each item by way of public notice. Accomplishing this task would be easier today, as only authorized agencies could import particular products back then. However, as time evolved and fortunes changed, more hucksters (vendors) entered the market, adding a wider variety of imported goods to their stock.

While new hucksters entered the market, the more advanced ones left the sidewalks and opened small shops, which meant more extensive stocks. The importation of goods was then opened to other businesses and not just a few authorized agents. These new importers brought goods similar to those of the established agents but also introduced new products to the local market. Although businesses did quite well on average, some businessmen thought price control hindered their profit margin.

In 1971, the businesses persuaded the Government to discontinue the price control system, claiming that competition would keep prices affordable. However, this was not the case, as prices escalated in some instances to as high as three times the original prices. This situation left the Government with no choice but to reintroduce price control. A new department came back on stream in 1974.

In 1976, the Government, aware of the need to protect consumers' broader interests, extended the department's scope to encompass consumer protection, hence the Division of Prices and Consumer Affairs.