On 1 January 2022, new laws aimed at helping Swiss consumers will come into force. From 1 January 2022, foreign companies and brands will no longer be able to use geographic blocking to force consumers with Swiss IP addresses to shop on local Swiss web pages with different prices. Laws aimed at ending the practice […]
Women speak out in favour of raising retirement age for Swiss women
In Switzerland, the official state pension age is 65 for men and 64 for women. Government plans to make the retirement age 65 for both men and women have met with resistance from groups fighting against gender discrimination in Switzerland. The change would not affect women about to retire, and those born between 1960 and […]
Switzerland most expensive in EU comparison but third on average income (GDP)
Switzerland might not lead Europe on average income (GDP), but it wins on cost, according to recent Eurostat data. The nations leading on per capita GDP in 2020 were Luxembourg and Ireland. Average GDP per resident was 2.63 times the EU average in Luxembourg and 2.09 times in Ireland. Switzerland, came in third with GDP […]
Cigarettes might soon cost double in Switzerland
The world is getting tougher on tobacco. This week, New Zealand’s government announced plans to make it illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone born after 2008. In Switzerland, where cigarettes are around 40% of the price in New Zealand, an anti-smoking association has called for prices to be hiked from CHF 8 to CHF 14 […]
Switzerland no longer classified as a currency manipulator
According to the latest report by the U.S. Department of the Treasury released this week, Switzerland is no longer defined as a currency manipulator, a status it has held for some time. To be classified as a currency manipulator by the U.S. Treasury a nation has to fulfil three criteria. It has to have a […]
Two Swiss cities remain in top 10 most expensive globally
The latest Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey of the prices of 200 goods and services in 173 cities placed both Geneva and Zurich in the top 10 most expensive cities in 2021. Overall, the cost of living across these 173 cities has risen by an average of 3.5%, the highest inflation seen in the last […]
Average Swiss household income reaches nearly 115,000 francs
The gross mean household income in Switzerland was CHF 114,984 (US$ 125,000) in 2019, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Overall, 40% of households in Switzerland had income over this mean while 60% brought in less. 73% of this income came from working, 23% came from pensions, welfare and household transfers such as alimony, […]
Swiss Federal Council rejects two votes on pension reform
This week, the Federal Council rejected two very different initiatives aimed at changing the state pension system. In common with much of the developed world, Switzerland is facing a large gap between the money required to fund state pensions and the money flowing in to pay for them, a challenge driven by increasing life expectancy, […]
Swiss franc highest against Euro since July 2015
On 19 November 2021, the Euro went below 1.05 Swiss francs, the lowest it has been since July 2015. The Swiss franc is viewed as a safe haven currency and tends to rise when markets are bearish. However, this week the shift in exchange rate may have had more to do with the situation in […]
Deadline for changing Swiss health insurance approaching
Once a year it is possible to (easily) change your health insurance in Switzerland. To do so you must cancel your existing policy by 30 November, a date fast approaching. Deadline for annual changes is 30 NovemberInsurers must tell their members what next year’s premiums will be by 31 October. Members then have until 30 […]
