Switzerland, like many rich countries, faces a pension crunch. An ageing population is putting pressure on public finances, and a recent referendum has added to the strain. In March 2024, voters approved a 13th monthly payment to recipients of the state pension scheme—equivalent to a 8.3% rise in annual payouts—due to begin next year. How […]
Swiss farmers hit back at supermarket price squeezing
A group of Swiss fruit and vegetable producers has filed a complaint with the country’s competition watchdog, accusing Coop, one of Switzerland’s two dominant supermarket chains, of abusing its market power. The farmers say that a new rebate system imposed by Coop will significantly reduce their revenues. In early April, Coop introduced what it calls […]
Swiss rent reference rate stays put
Switzerland’s benchmark mortgage reference rate, a key figure used to determine rents under existing leases, remained unchanged at 1.5% in June, according to the latest update from the Federal Housing Office (FHO), published on 2 June 2025. The rate was last cut by 25 basis points in March 2025, prompting a wave of rent reduction […]
UBS pushes back against government plan to make it safer
Switzerland’s largest bank has slammed a government plan designed to prevent a repeat of the Credit Suisse collapse—plans that could force UBS to hold billions more in capital. The news was reported by SRF and Bloomberg. This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council unveiled a package of measures aimed at reducing the systemic risks posed by the […]
The revolving-door between Swiss health authorities and Big Pharma
A new report from Public Eye, a Swiss NGO, has drawn attention to the scale of personnel flows between the pharmaceutical industry and the country’s public health institutions. The investigation, published on Thursday, raises concerns over potential conflicts of interest and urges stronger safeguards to prevent corruption. The cushy transition between public office and private-sector […]
No compensation for Credit Suisse shareholders, Swiss court rules
A Swiss court has ruled that Credit Suisse shareholders will not be compensated for losses incurred during the bank’s forced sale to UBS in March 2023, reported RTS. The Federal Supreme Court dismissed a claim brought by two small investors who had purchased nearly CHF 85,000 ($100,000) worth of Credit Suisse shares just days before […]
The rapid decline of Swiss farms
Roughly 800 farms vanish every year in Switzerland, the equivalent of two per day, reported RTS. In the canton of Vaud alone, an average of one farm disappears each week. Behind these figures lies a more complex truth: the difficulty of intergenerational farm succession in a country where agriculture is still shaped by small, often […]
Switzerland still needs power reserves, says regulator
Switzerland relies heavily on it’s neighbours to keep its lights on and its electricity supply remains exposed to uncertainty, according to the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom). In a press briefing on Thursday, the regulator warned that electricity reserves will continue to be necessary in the medium term, despite a broadly secure outlook for the coming […]
Swiss government favours simple majority vote on EU deal
This week, the Federal Council said it favours putting its new package of agreements with the European Union to an optional referendum, requiring only a simple majority of voters—not the double majority of both voters and cantons required in a mandatory referendum, reported RTS. The decision, announced by the Federal Council on Wednesday, now passes […]
Switzerland’s underground cargo project switches track
Cargo Sous Terrain (CST), Switzerland’s long-planned underground freight network, has been in the making for more than a decade. The concept is simple: instead of clogging up roads, goods would be transported via automated wagons moving through subterranean tunnels, loaded and unloaded at designated hubs. Yet enthusiasm for the project has cooled. Last year, municipalities […]
