Smart Shopping

The practical questions of an ordinary week: opening hours and public holidays, self checkout, click and collect, reading unit prices properly, paying, storing food so it lasts. This group collects the how-tos that do not need a price comparison, only a clear answer and a source.

A lot of this is regulated by canton rather than nationally, opening hours and Sunday trading above all. Every guide therefore states which rule applies where, with its date and its source. All 26 cantons and seven Swiss chains are covered, in four languages.

How to use them: the how-to settles the rule, the app takes over the rest of the shop. Your shopping list is shared with your household and edited together, and this week’s prices sit right beside it. Free, no subscription. As of October 2026.

All guides in this category (58)

Six unbranded model shops in a ring around an hourglass with yellow sand.

Grocery Price Comparison in Switzerland: Which App Really Covers Every Supermarket?

Which app really compares all Swiss supermarkets? Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl and Denner in one place, plus the free tools that work. Practical 2026 guide.

Ink drawing of an open suitcase with four shops, mountains, bell tower, basket and bicycle.

Grocery guide for expats in Switzerland: shopping in English, in four languages

New to Switzerland? Which of the 4 chains to use for what, why Sunday shopping barely exists, and the 30 day routine that keeps month one under control.

Graphic poster with three enclosed product areas and a blocked yellow arrow.

Migros App vs Coop App vs Lidl Plus: Which is Worth It?

Cumulus, Supercard and Lidl Plus side by side: points, voucher value, expiry rules and why CHF 120 a year is not where the real money sits.

Two hands lift a cardboard grocery box at an apartment doorway.

Online Grocery Shopping and Pickup in Switzerland: Who Delivers, What It Costs, and What Actually Works

Of the 7 chains in Rappn, only Coop and Migros deliver groceries nationwide: every fee, free delivery from CHF 200, click and collect.

Technical drawing of a shared shopping list linked to a family, fridge and basket.

How do you share a shopping list with your household in Switzerland?

How a Swiss household keeps one shared shopping list: add and tick off together, with an estimated price and rules for solo, couple and family homes.

Graphic poster with seven blank flyers linked to a yellow bell.

Grocery Price Alerts in Switzerland: A Ping When Your Products Go on Offer

Free grocery price alerts: mark the products you buy, and Rappn notifies you when one goes on offer at any of 7 Swiss chains in your canton. 4 languages.

Swiss village street at dawn with closed shops and one illuminated store.

Public Holiday Grocery Shopping in Switzerland: The Complete 2026 Calendar

Every 2026 Swiss holiday, canton by canton: what closes, the 5 shops that stay open, and which Thursday to buy the Aktion before the long weekend.

Paper pop-up village with closed shutters and one open station shop beneath a yellow awning.

Sunday Grocery Shopping in Switzerland: Where to Buy Food When Everything Is Closed

The full table: station and airport Migros and Coop hours, Ticino, tourist zones, the four Advent Sundays, and which shops stay closed.

Isometric miniature station with one closed shop and one illuminated shop.

Swiss Supermarket Opening Hours: Full Guide (2026)

Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro and Otto's hours in one table, plus the Sunday, station and cantonal exceptions that catch people out.

Ink price-tag drawing with its crossed-out price bar floating away on a balloon.

How to Spot a Fake Discount at a Swiss Supermarket: A 2026 Guide

"50% off" on a price that quietly rose two weeks earlier. The real tricks Swiss supermarkets use and how to tell a real Aktion from a fake one.

Hand-stitched felt village beside a lake, with a scooter and blank delivery box.

Grocery Delivery Apps in Switzerland after Smood's Shutdown: Just Eat and Uber Eats Compared (2026)

Smood closed on 30 April 2026. See which apps still deliver groceries in your canton, chain fees of CHF 4.90 to CHF 7.90 and the city-by-city rundown.

Paper pop-up with a staffed checkout and self-checkout beneath two identical blank tags.

How do self-checkout and scan-and-go work in Switzerland (Migros Subito, Coop passabene)?

Subito, passabene, Aldi and Lidl self-checkout explained: steps, spot checks, age checks. Plus the saving the app does not do. Updated regularly.

Paper hands exchange blank paper slips over a counter, with red string and yellow pins.

Can you pay in euros at Swiss supermarkets?

Euros at Swiss supermarket tills: what the sources say, 100 euros = CHF 92.39 (ECB, 27 October 2026), and what to pick at the card terminal.

Ink payment-terminal drawing with two paths, one open and one blocked by a barrier.

How do you pay at a Swiss supermarket?

Twint, debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, cash or Reka: how to pay at a Swiss supermarket till. Plus self-checkout and foreign-card tips for expats.

Technical drawing of two unlabelled alcohol bottles separated by a checkpoint barrier.

Where and from what age can I buy alcohol at a Swiss supermarket?

Where can you buy alcohol in Swiss supermarkets, and from what age? Beer and wine from 16, spirits from 18, and Migros sells none.

Grocery crates at a doorstep and an unbranded white van at dawn.

coop.ch vs Migros Online: which grocery delivery is worth it in 2026?

coop.ch or Migros Online? The 2026 table of minimum order, delivery fees, delivery area and range, plus how to check the promotions before you order.

Swiss residential street at dawn with an unbranded white delivery van and yellow crate.

ALDI now has closed: who delivers groceries in Switzerland now?

ALDI now has closed: Aldi Suisse ended its grocery delivery in 2026. What is known, whether Lidl delivers, and who still delivers groceries nationwide.

Clay diorama of a market stall and shop linked by a path with a yellow apple crate.

Farmers Market vs Supermarket in Switzerland: Which Is Really Cheaper?

Is the weekly farmers market cheaper than the supermarket in Switzerland? Honest comparison: apples CHF 3/kg at market vs CHF 3.60 to 3.70 in store.

Ink drawing of a seesaw on an hourglass between home delivery and a shop basket.

Migros Online review 2026: delivery fees, experience, and are the prices the same as in-store?

An honest 2026 review of Migros Online (formerly LeShop): minimum order, delivery fees, assortment, and whether online prices match the store.

Swiss square at dawn with an unbranded van, grocery crates and a bicycle trailer.

coop.ch online review 2026: experience, minimum order and delivery costs

An honest 2026 review of the coop.ch online shop: minimum order, delivery fees, free delivery, Prix Garantie online, and how prices compare to the store.

Paper pop-up with a house, empty yellow doormat and unbranded delivery van.

Does Lidl Switzerland deliver groceries to your home? The 2026 online-shop check

Does Lidl Switzerland deliver groceries to your home? The 2026 answer is no: what the lidl.ch online shop offers, the role of Lidl Plus, and who delivers.

Felt parcel holding a wine bottle at a doorway, beside a basket on the step.

Can you order from Denner online? Weinshop, app and alternatives 2026

Can you order from Denner online? In 2026 groceries no, wine yes: what the Denner Weinshop and the app offer, and which services do deliver.

Drawing of a basket, blank list and three tags on ruled paper.

Shopping list app Switzerland: which app does what, and who pays for it?

Compare shopping list app types in Switzerland: shared lists, retailer apps, notes and offers. Check access, language and any extra household costs.

Graphic poster with five coloured panels and food-rescue objects.

Which apps and options can you actually use to rescue food in Switzerland?

Surprise bags, Madame Frigo, Äss-Bar, RestEssBar or in-store markdowns? A neutral comparison of Switzerland's food-rescue options, with figures.

Technical drawing of yogurt and milk with two blank date boxes and a padlock.

Best Before vs Use By in Switzerland: What Do the Two Dates Actually Mean?

Best before or use by? What Swiss law actually requires, what shops may sell after the best-before date, and what the BLV and Consumer Protection say.

An open freezer on a bright Swiss street at dawn.

Freezing food in Switzerland: what can you freeze, and how long does it keep?

What can you freeze and how long does it keep? Storage durations by food group from Proviande and Betty Bossi, plus the Swiss 90-day use-by freezing rule.

Hands open a grocery delivery filled precisely to a line inside the box.

Cheaper Online Groceries in Switzerland: the 5 Levers and the Real Delivery Fees

The full fee table: minimum order and delivery cost at Migros Online, coop.ch and Denner, plus the surcharges nobody puts on the front page.

Cardboard model of a closed supermarket surrounded by open station, airport and roadside shops.

Migros Opening Hours on Swiss Public Holidays: The Rule, the Exceptions and Your Canton

Is your Migros open on the holiday? The base rule, the station and airport exceptions and a canton-by-canton table, every claim sourced and dated.

Clay diorama of a square with a closed supermarket and yellow bench.

Coop opening hours on Swiss public holidays: what applies in your canton

Which Coop branches open on Swiss public holidays, what your canton decides, which 2026 holidays remain, plus a chain table and the Coop Pronto answer.

Technical drawing of a blind tasting with eight cloches, one lifted.

Swiss Food Product Tests: the 2025 and 2026 Verdicts at a Glance

Every published Swiss food test from 2025-26 in one place: winner, grade, date and source, plus this week's promotions across seven Swiss chains.

Illustration of a Swiss cellar storeroom: a steel shelf with bottled water, tins, pasta, rice and UHT milk, a slatted wooden storage cage, an open shelter door, and a table with a camping stove, radio, torch and first-aid kit.

Emergency food stock in Switzerland: the list and what it costs

The official Swiss one-week list, priced line by line: food and drinks for a family of four cost CHF 124 to 451 (Rappn price data, 4 November 2026).

Hands on a closed shop door, with a lit station reflected in the glass.

Grocery Shopping in Switzerland: A Visitor's Guide for 2026

Sundays closed, hours set by canton, food at 155.9 against the EU's 100: the rules in plain English, plus this week's offers from 7 chains.

Pop-up book showing a supermarket aisle and home doorway, a road and two blank price tags.

Are Online Grocery Prices the Same as In-Store in Switzerland?

Are online grocery prices the same as in store in Switzerland? What Migros, Coop and ALDI now (closed 2026) said, what tests found, plus the full fee table.

Paper collage of a large and small pack linked to balanced weighing pans.

Unit Price Comparison in Switzerland: CHF per Litre, Kilo and 100 g

Compare CHF per litre and per kilo properly: what Swiss law demands of the unit price, when it may be missing, and current offers from 7 chains.

Paper pop-up station with a lit shop beneath a blue sky and yellow moon.

Late-Night Groceries in Switzerland: Where You Can Still Shop After Hours

The four places open late, ranked by price: verified evening hours for Zurich HB, Basel SBB, Bern and Zurich Airport, plus what the law allows.

Ink drawing of a blank calendar with open shop doors and a yellow highlight.

Sunday Shopping in December 2026: Which Swiss Towns Open, and on Which Sundays

Swiss Sunday shopping 2026: confirmed dates for Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Basel, Aargau, Ticino and more, plus the four-Sunday rule.

Swiss graphic poster with a white cross on red, milk, an apple and bread.

VAT on Food in Switzerland: When You Pay 2.6% and When It Jumps to 8.1%

Food at 2.6%, alcohol and non-food at 8.1%: the table for your whole trolley, the take-away rule, and what the difference is worth in francs.

Technical drawing of a blank shelf label linked to six public buildings.

Who Checks Grocery Prices in Switzerland?

Price Supervisor, SECO, cantons, COMCO, statistics office and consumer groups: what each body can legally do, what it cannot, and where to report.

White technical drawing of seven blank day boxes with two different starting arrows.

Swiss Supermarket Deals: Which Chain Starts on Which Day

Migros, Coop and Denner start on Thursday, Aldi and Lidl on Monday and Thursday. A dated table per chain, plus what the following week really means.

A search field with a product name and the offers of seven Swiss chains side by side, instead of a stack of weekly catalogues

Where is my product on offer right now? Search instead of flipping

Search one product instead of flipping seven catalogues: the start days of all 7 chains, each with its dated evidence, and the unit price beside it.

Three apps for the weekly shop: can one app do all of it?

Deals from 7 chains, a shared shopping list and loyalty cards in one app: the promo-day calendar, what Rappn does and what it does not, September 2026.

Hands in the foreground hold a sheet of empty tick-boxes in front of a bright store shelf, a yellow pen in one hand

AI grocery list: prompts to copy and what to check before you shop

Make an AI grocery list: 5 prompts to copy, what an AI assistant cannot know about this week’s promotions, and what to check before you shop.

Seven felt plates in a row on a pastel table, beside a fabric bag with a yellow tag and a thread that stops short of the plates

AI meal planner: how to ask for a weekly menu and where it stops

AI meal planner for Switzerland: two prompts to copy, why the menu ignores this week’s promotions and how to bring them into your shopping list.

Graphic grid of empty white tiles with a red question-mark shape in the centre and a blank speech bubble above

Does ChatGPT Know This Week’s Swiss Supermarket Deals?

Does ChatGPT know this week’s Swiss supermarket deals? Only partly. How to check an AI answer in 4 steps, and the days new deals start.

Cardboard trolley with a basket of cut paper, pushed by paper-cut hands, beside a checklist with ticked boxes

AI Shopping Agents: What Can They Do in Switzerland Today?

What an AI shopping agent can do in Switzerland today, the risks before it pays for you, and 7 questions to ask before you connect one.

Cardboard model of a covered market hall with a yellow cable linking a blank speech bubble to the fruit and vegetable stall

What Is an MCP Server? A Plain-Language Explanation

What is an MCP server? Clients, tools and permissions without jargon, which AI assistants use MCP, and an example from the Swiss weekly shop.

Isometric 3D diorama of an apartment built as five steps, each with a simple icon, and a yellow toggle at the top

ChatGPT Connectors: How to Set Them Up, Step by Step

ChatGPT connectors step by step, and in Claude too: menus, plans, custom MCP connectors, six checks before you connect and how to disconnect.

Ink drawing of a house cut open: bread and a basket on the kitchen table, a blank speech bubble at the window, the rooms upstairs locked

Is ChatGPT safe for personal information? What happens to what you type and what Swiss law says

Is ChatGPT safe for personal information? What OpenAI documents on training, memory and deletion, what to keep out, and what Swiss law says.

Overhead view of fridge leftovers in neat rows on pale oak: eggs, a tomato, spinach and cheese, an empty white pan at the centre and a checklist card

AI recipes from ingredients in your fridge: prompts to copy and what to check

AI recipes from ingredients and leftovers: prompts to copy, where an AI goes wrong in the kitchen, and what to check on food safety and allergens.

Layered paper-cut pop-up: a blank white speech bubble at the centre, service cards around it joined by paper strips, and a single yellow switch turned on

How do you add Claude connectors, and what can Claude see?

Claude connectors step by step: directory, plans for custom connectors, local servers, permissions, privacy as Anthropic documents it, and disconnecting.

What is an AI agent, and how is it different from a chatbot?

What an AI agent is in plain words: chatbot, assistant and agent in a table, an agent’s steps with the weekly shop, risks and permissions.

AI app and data privacy: the 10 questions to ask before you install it

AI app data privacy: 10 questions to ask before you install, where to find each answer (privacy policy, settings, app stores) and the warning signs.

AI data protection in Switzerland: what rights do you have and how do you use them?

AI data protection in Switzerland: your rights under the Federal Act on Data Protection, a request text to adapt and what to do if nobody answers.

How do you make a voice shopping list with Alexa, Siri and Google?

Voice shopping list with Alexa, Siri and Google: where the list ends up, languages listed for Switzerland, sharing and voice-recording settings.

Does AI understand Swiss German, spoken and written?

Swiss German and AI: what vendors document on speech recognition and chatbots, what Swiss research offers and tips for dictating your list.

“Zero data retention”, no training, servers in Switzerland: what do AI providers’ data promises mean?

Zero data retention, no training, temporary chat, servers in Switzerland: what each AI data promise means, what Swiss law says and how to check it.

How do you turn on Gemini’s connected apps, and what does Gemini see?

Gemini connected apps step by step: turn them on and off, a Google Keep list and Calendar for groceries, data and retention per Google, Switzerland.

Seven different blank-sign storefronts drawn in ink on kraft paper with a yellow underline.

How does Rappn compare offers?

Where Rappn’s offers come from, what counts as an offer, how canton, dates and unit price are read, and what Rappn does not claim.