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 in real time with your household, and this week’s prices sit right beside it. Free, no account needed. As of September 2026.

All guides in this category (46)

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 in Switzerland: Who Delivers, What It Costs, and What Actually Works

Of the 7 chains in Rappn, only Coop, Migros and Aldi deliver to your door. Every fee, the CHF 200 free lines, postcode coverage and the 20% online catch.

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

Shared shopping list in Switzerland: does it really sync in real time?

Forgotten items, duplicate buys, missed Aktion deals. The grocery list problem solved for solo, couple and family households across Switzerland.

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

Grocery Price Alerts in Switzerland: How to Stop Missing the 30-50% Drops

Free alerts when products you buy drop 30-50% at Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro or Otto's. Neutral, no ads, all 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 where you pay 10 to 20 percent more.

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.

Hands divide groceries into four groups with four mugs on a bright kitchen table.

Roommate & WG Grocery Splitting in Switzerland: The 2026 Guide

Living in a WG means splitting the milk, the loo paper, the Aldi runs and the dishwasher tabs. Here's the system that actually works.

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 11.90 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?

Migros, Coop, Aldi and Lidl take euro notes at the till, but change comes in francs at their own poor rate. Here is what costs you less in CHF.

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.

Swiss shopping street in morning light with a blank price board and magnified small tag.

How do I read the unit price on Swiss supermarket price tags?

How to read Swiss supermarket price tags and compare on the unit price (per kg, litre, 100g). A worked example shows why the big pack is often dearer.

Paper pop-up with a generic shop, pickup lockers, grocery bag and yellow direction arrow.

How does click and collect work at Swiss supermarkets?

Click and collect in Switzerland: order online, pick up in store or at a locker. Which supermarkets offer it, the fees and minimum orders, and the steps.

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 where your basket costs less.

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

ALDI now: how does discounter home delivery work in Switzerland?

How ALDI now home delivery works in Switzerland: CHF 50 minimum order, delivery fees, delivery area, and whether Lidl delivers groceries.

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.

Graphic poster showing a crossed-out bottle in a shop and the same bottle in an open parcel.

Migros Online Grocery Shopping 2026: Range, Delivery Terms and Alcohol

Migros online 2026: how big the online range is, how delivery works today, why alcohol is sold online only (via Denner) and the new Regensdorf centre.

Hands place a courgette cutout into a row of seven pockets beside groceries.

Meal Planning App Switzerland: Which App Plans the Week Around the Deals?

Why rigid weekly plans cost money, and how to build the menu around this week’s deals. Thursday promotion start, seven Swiss chains compared neutrally.

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, ALDI now 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 live promotions across seven Swiss chains.

Miniature pantry with staple foods, water, a torch and a first-aid kit.

Emergency food stock in Switzerland: the official list and its cost

The official Swiss federal list in plain English, nine litres of water per person, seven days of food, and the day each of seven chains starts promotions.

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 158.5 against the EU's 100: the rules in plain English, plus this week's live 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 state, 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 live 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 Ticino, Zurich, Basel and canton Bern, the four-Sunday rule and what applies on 13 and 20 December.

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.

Phone in use while shopping in a Swiss supermarket: deals, shopping list and loyalty card in a single app

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.