With five weeks to go before Swiss vote on two initiatives aimed at drastically cutting the use of pesticides, more than 50% appear to be in favour of both initiatives, according to RTS. One of these initiatives, the clean drinking water initiative, aims to tie access to Switzerland’s generous farm subsidies to forgoing pesticide (and […]
Swiss consumer sentiment nearly back to pre-crisis level
Consumer sentiment among Swiss households is improving, according to Switzerland’s economic affairs office (SECO). In April 2021, the consumer sentiment index climbed back to -7 points after reaching a low of -40 in early 2020. The level of -7 is close to the pre-crisis level of early 2020 and close to its long term average […]
SWISS plans large cuts to fleet and staff numbers
On 6 May 2021, SWISS announced a plan to cut jobs and the size of its fleet. Due to the continuing global coronavirus pandemic and structural changes in the market, the company expects a 20% structural decline in demand. In response, the airline plans to cut the fleet it had in 2019 by 15% and […]
Ticks and lyme disease – it’s time to be careful
In spring tiny ticks emerge in their tiny nymph form. These small blood sucking insects carry diseases, bad ones. April, May, June, July and August are when most people get infected, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. Ticks become active when the temperature reaches 7 degrees. The most common tick-borne infection is […]
Short expiry notice for Swiss banknotes sparks criticism
Last Wednesday, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) announced that old Swiss banknotes would no longer be legal tender from Friday, 30 April 2021. The short notice period has generated complaints and confusion. The eighth series of Swiss banknotes did not lose their value, however, they are no longer an accepted means of exchange. The only […]
Swiss switched to local wine during pandemic
In 2020, wine consumption is Switzerland slumped by 6%. However, consumption of locally produced wine rose 0.3%. The biggest drop was in imported white wine (-14%), followed by imported red wine (-8%). Consumption of Swiss red wine (+0.5%) rose the most followed by Swiss white wines (+0.2%). Big drivers of falling wine consumption were the […]
Renters charged fees to view apartments in Geneva
Some agencies in Geneva are exploiting the city’s tight property market by charging people money just to view apartments, according to a report by RTS. A practice described as parasitic by ASLOCA, a rental association, involves an agency contacting those who have placed adverts for vacant apartments and offering them their services. The agency promises […]
Surfing comes to the Swiss Alps
In landlocked Switzerland there is no access to the sea and no waves. Until now. A surfer decided to bring waves to Switzerland and created Alaïa Bay wave garden near Sion in the Swiss canton of Valais not far from Verbier and other action Swiss towns. The operation is so new it doesn’t yet show […]
Real Swiss salaries up most in 5 years
On 30 April 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office released salary data for 2020 which showed a 1.5% rise in real salaries compared to 2019. In 2020, a 0.8% rise in nominal salaries was boosted by inflation of -0.7% bringing the total increase in the real average Swiss salary to 1.5%. The last time salaries rose […]
Swiss referendum against gay marriage passes signature hurdle
This week, Switzerland’s federal government announced that an application for an optional referendum against gay marriage had collected enough valid signatures to clear the way for a vote on the subject. On 18 December 2020, Switzerland’s upper house voted in favour of gay marriage after it was endorsed by a parliamentary majority, clearing the way […]
