The Swiss cross the border – shopping tourism is picking up speed again – News

Since the pandemic subsided, more people living in Switzerland have been shopping abroad again. However, the pre-corona level has not been reached.

Quickly across the border to buy cheaper abroad. That was common practice for many before Corona. The pandemic caused the numbers to plummet, but shopping tourism is picking up speed again. According to the Swiss Retail Federation, more than ten percent more payments were made abroad in the first half of 2023 than in the previous year.

During the pandemic, purchases by people from Switzerland stopped. The Lago, a shopping center right next to the old town of Konstanz, felt the same way. Now, despite inflation, a third of customers are from Switzerland, says managing director Peter Herrmann. “Inflation in Germany is significantly higher than in Switzerland. But consumption is still there and that’s why we have good sales figures at the moment, despite inflation.”

Exchange rate favors Swiss

The price increase affects food, but less textiles or sporting goods, says Christian Ulmer from the Constance Retailers Association. Shopping tourism increased sharply from 2015 due to the exchange rate – and was much higher before the pandemic.

According to Ulmer, around 46 percent of sales in Constance in 2015 came from foreign customers. “Of course, Corona caused these numbers to drop significantly.” Now the share of sales would be around 35 percent.

People seem satisfied with the current level, because before the pandemic it was too much shopping tourism for many locals. Whether this will remain the case probably depends on the development of the exchange rate and inflation.