Last weekend the management of one of Switzerland’s two largest supermarkets voted in favour of selling alcohol in its stores, reported the company.
Company founder Gottlieb Duttweiler, who passed away in 1962, did not want the business to sell alcohol, something that was prevented by the cooperative’s constitution. Duttweiler did not want to fuel alcohol addiction with cut-price beer or other alcoholic beverages sold by the business he founded in 1925. However, on 7 November 2021, those in charge voted in favour of modifying the document clearing the way for sales of alcohol in its 630 stores.
The ban on booze sales at Migros stores is contradictory. The company is already selling alcohol via its Denner, Voi and Migrolino stores and via its online store.
The vote passed with 85 versus 22 favouring the change. The result clears the way for the regional cooperatives to vote on the change. Migros is made up of 10 regional cooperatives. Each of these will need to vote on the change, a process that is expected take place next June. The change will require two thirds to vote in favour of it. So it will be some time before thirsty customers get to taste M-Budget beer.
And it is possible the results are not uniform. Cooperatives in some regions may opt to remain alcohol free.
More on this:
Migros press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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Ken says
At least one less hypocrisy now, Switzerland!
Ingo Jott says
It is a shameful lack of respect towards struggling alcoholics who appreciate the opportunity to go grocery shopping without temptation, first and foremost.
Ell says
Honestly though; what about those who deal with eating disorders and struggle with food addictions? They have to go shopping too.
If an alcoholic is close to relapsing, they will find a way to buy the alcohol. It’s not a case of out of sight out of mind.
Livia Varju says
Shameful! Lack of respect toward Duttweiler! But in Switzerland what counts is money and money …
Livia