A recent study shows 83% of smokers in Switzerland think non-smokers should continue to cover tobacco-related health costs. Most non-smokers disagree. The survey, done by Innofact AG on behalf of Comparis.ch, finds that 47% of the population smoke, a figure higher than other studies. 36% smoke daily, and 11% occasionally. A Swiss government report puts the percentage […]
Archives for November 2017
New Swiss highway sticker on sale from tomorrow
Next year’s Swiss highway sticker goes on sale tomorrow. Every year it changes colour. This year it’s orange. At the same time stiffer penalties are being introduced for fake ones. According to 20 Minutes, the government is putting in place new sanctions of up to 3 years in prison. The amount lost from various forms […]
Start-up airline hangs in the balance after losing key investor
The ski-focused airline Powdair was to fly its first passengers on 11 December 2017. That was the plan anyway. In an email earlier this week the company said: “This morning our key financial backer walked away from the powdair journey for personal reasons….We’re faced now with two options. We either postpone starting powdair this winter – […]
Swiss village offering to pay people to live there inundated with applications
After the Swiss mountain village of Albinen hatched a plan to pay parents (CHF 25,000 each) and children (CHF 10,000 each) to move there, it has been inundated with applicants. Articles about the offer have been published by Time, The Sunday Times, The Sun, El Pais, and many other publications. Rather than celebrating, the picturesque town’s administration is unhappy. […]
German-speaking Swiss more likely to avoid flying for environmental reasons
Flying is the most polluting way to travel and Swiss residents are frequent flyers. 56% of those surveyed by gfs-zürich on behalf of the Swiss Energy Foundation have flown once or more for non-work reasons in the last two years. According to the Swiss Energy Foundation, the average non-work related distance flown per Swiss resident […]
Amazon Prime coming to Switzerland
According to the newspaper Bilanz, Amazon has signed an agreement with Swiss post to provide rapid customs clearance. The head of postal customs, Felix Stierli, confirmed discussions with the company. A maximum customs clearance time of 3 hours will allow 24-hour delivery, one element of Amazon’s Prime offer. Once Prime is available, Swiss customers will […]
Dogs poisoned in Geneva parks
Dog owners in Geneva have reported poisoning in parks on social media. Genève chiens, a local dog owners association has posted a warning on its website, after warnings from dog owners were posted on the association’s Facebook page. Parks mentioned include: parc Bertrand, parc La Grange and parc Château-Banquet. One dog has died according to […]
What an average Swiss family spends on food and drink
If you’ve ever wondered what families in Switzerland spend on groceries, then here is a breakdown. Figures are taken from mean household income and expenditure data recently published by the Federal Statistical office for 2015. More on this: Federal Statistical Office report (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now For more stories like this […]
Swiss fact: some Swiss women had to wait until 1991 to vote
Women in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden had to wait until 1991 to vote in cantonal elections. Not all Swiss cantons were this slow. In Switzerland, voting takes place at three layers of government: commune (Gemeinde), canton (Kanton) and federal. Canton is arguably the most important – Switzerland’s 26 cantons are like states. The […]
Stress rises among Swiss workers
A recent report by Travail.Suisse shows around 40% of Swiss workers report feeling often or very often stressed by their work. Stress and emotional exhaustion is a daily reality for many says Travail.Suisse. Between 2015 and 2017, the percentage suffering work related stress or emotional exhaustion has risen from 38% to 48%. A key issue […]