https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The EU will charge an extra €2 "processing fee" on parcels imported into the European Union from Sunday November 1st in a bid to reduce the influx of cheap Chinese products bought on the internet. The fee is on top of the recent €3 EU tax added on "small parcels". https://www.thelocal.ch/20261030/eu-to-slap-new-e2-fee-on-online-shopping-orders-from-outside-europe Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:00:21 +0100 eu-to-slap-new-e2-fee-on-online-shopping-orders-from-outside-europe Shopping is not merely about filling your cart with food and other necessities — where in Switzerland you choose to shop also reveals quite a bit about you. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240802/what-your-choice-of-swiss-supermarket-says-about-you Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:22:33 +0200 what-your-choice-of-swiss-supermarket-says-about-you Stores in Switzerland’s border areas lose many customers to foreign retailers, where prices – especially given the favourable franc/euro exchange rate – are quite a bit cheaper. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260929/can-coop-lure-shoppers-back-over-the-swiss-side-of-the-border Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:23:01 +0200 can-coop-lure-shoppers-back-over-the-swiss-side-of-the-border In many countries, the practice of haggling – that is, negotiating a price – is common. What are the rules in Switzerland? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260805/reader-question-can-you-haggle-in-switzerland Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:04:58 +0200 reader-question-can-you-haggle-in-switzerland Some people don’t care where they shop, while others swear by one supermarket – or online retailer – over others. Where do Swiss consumers stand on this issue? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260721/revealed-the-retailers-swiss-consumers-like-best Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:59:11 +0200 revealed-the-retailers-swiss-consumers-like-best If you're a fan of crossing the border to get the best value for money, 2026 could be one of the best years for Switzerland’s currency in the Eurozone in recent years. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260716/shopping-tourism-where-does-the-swiss-franc-go-furthest-abroad Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:22:40 +0200 shopping-tourism-where-does-the-swiss-franc-go-furthest-abroad Swiss lawmakers have voted to overturn a short-lived rule on using a bag when weighing fresh produce in supermarkets, but the change might not be implemented immediately nor in all stores. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260617/switzerland-to-change-rule-for-fruit-and-veg-in-supermarkets-again Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:17:40 +0200 switzerland-to-change-rule-for-fruit-and-veg-in-supermarkets-again The Council of States, the upper house of Switzerland’s Parliament, has refused to allow retailers to open for business on up to 12 Sundays a year. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260609/swiss-mps-shut-down-move-for-more-frequent-sunday-shop-openings Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:53:34 +0200 swiss-mps-shut-down-move-for-more-frequent-sunday-shop-openings If you've spent time in Switzerland, you will have noticed that most shops close on Sundays. It's a part of Swiss law and culture to treat Sunday as a day of rest. But it can be a major inconvenience when you forget to shop on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251118/where-can-you-shop-in-switzerland-on-a-sunday Tue, 18 Nov 2025 17:56:44 +0100 where-can-you-shop-in-switzerland-on-a-sunday Residents of Switzerland spend almost 15 billion francs a year on online purchases from companies abroad. Products may seem cheaper but, as one lawmaker points out, this merchandise may not be safe to use. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260430/can-switzerland-make-shopping-on-foreign-platforms-safer-for-consumers Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:41:11 +0200 can-switzerland-make-shopping-on-foreign-platforms-safer-for-consumers Many people visiting from abroad find Switzerland to be very, very expensive, especially compared to other countries. But the Swiss government has a plan to change that. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260220/how-switzerland-wants-to-make-the-country-cheaper-for-foreign-tourists Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:30:09 +0100 how-switzerland-wants-to-make-the-country-cheaper-for-foreign-tourists Though they haven't provided specifics, Switzerland’s major retailers are announcing price reductions on many products this year. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260108/migros-to-aldi-how-swiss-supermarkets-will-cut-their-prices-in-2026 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:13:47 +0100 migros-to-aldi-how-swiss-supermarkets-will-cut-their-prices-in-2026 Shoppers across Switzerland must plan ahead or else face no food in the fridge on Sunday as most shops are closed then. But a new proposal would see that changed, at least partially. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251118/mixed-reactions-to-plan-to-open-shops-on-sundays-in-switzerland Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:20:14 +0100 mixed-reactions-to-plan-to-open-shops-on-sundays-in-switzerland The two supermarket chains, Switzerland’s largest, have been competing on prices and assortment for years. Which one is ahead right now? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251103/coop-vs-migros-which-retailer-is-best-for-swiss-consumers-right-now Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:45:54 +0100 coop-vs-migros-which-retailer-is-best-for-swiss-consumers-right-now Unlike many English-speaking countries, most shops in Switzerland are closed on Sundays, but that could be set to change as Swiss MPs have voted in favour of relaxing opening restrictions. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250703/swiss-mps-vote-in-favour-of-increasing-sunday-shop-openings Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:28:43 +0200 swiss-mps-vote-in-favour-of-increasing-sunday-shop-openings From January 1st, 2025, Switzerland has cut the tax-free allowance for cross-border shoppers by half – from 300 to 150 francs. This means that shopping abroad is now less lucrative for the Swiss, but German retailers found a way around this problem. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250508/how-german-retailers-help-swiss-shoppers-circumvent-tax-rules Thu, 08 May 2025 13:19:13 +0200 how-german-retailers-help-swiss-shoppers-circumvent-tax-rules Retailers in Switzerland are stepping up random checks of customers who use self-scanning checkouts. Why is that? https://www.thelocal.ch/20250106/why-youre-likely-to-have-your-bags-checked-at-a-swiss-supermarket Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:05:10 +0100 why-youre-likely-to-have-your-bags-checked-at-a-swiss-supermarket As new Swiss rules will make cross-border shopping less lucrative for people from Switzerland, Germany is finding ways to keep them coming back for more. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241203/germany-moves-to-make-life-cheaper-for-shoppers-from-switzerland Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:10:49 +0100 germany-moves-to-make-life-cheaper-for-shoppers-from-switzerland Sunday shopping is practically no-existent in Switzerland, but a push to change this is underway in the parliament. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241023/shops-in-switzerland-could-be-allowed-to-open-one-sunday-per-month Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:30:23 +0200 shops-in-switzerland-could-be-allowed-to-open-one-sunday-per-month As two hapless fellows recently found out, not scanning a paper bag in a Swiss supermarket — whether unintentionally or not — can be a big (and expensive) mistake. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241018/why-stealing-shopping-bags-in-switzerland-could-carry-a-hefty-price Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:24:00 +0200 why-stealing-shopping-bags-in-switzerland-could-carry-a-hefty-price