How do I do zero-waste grocery shopping in Switzerland?

As of June 2026. Package-free shopping is no longer a fringe idea in Switzerland. You have three realistic routes: dedicated package-free shops, the service counters of the big retailers, and the loose range in any regular supermarket. This guide explains neutrally what is allowed where, the rules that apply, and where you can save money along the way. Rappn compares the current offers from Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro and Otto's, so you can shop both package-free and at the best price.

Where can I shop completely package-free in Switzerland?

Dedicated package-free (unverpackt) shops sell staples such as rice, pasta, nuts, muesli, pulses, oil and cleaning products by refill. The process is similar everywhere: you bring your own containers, have the empty weight (the tare) recorded on a scale, fill exactly the amount you want, and at the till the tare is deducted so you pay only for the product. ZeroWaste Switzerland, an association founded in 2015, runs an interactive map of participating businesses, and directories such as minimalwaste.ch list package-free shops by region. The first shops of this kind opened from 2017 in cities including Bern, Basel and Zurich. To be honest, the network is not nationwide and some shops have closed again in recent years, so check before you travel that a shop near you is still open.

Can I bring my own containers to Migros and Coop?

Yes, at the service counters of both, with clear hygiene rules. According to migros.ch, meat, fish and cheese selected at the counter can be filled into containers you bring yourself. The containers must be dishwasher-cleaned and leak-proof. Poultry is excluded for hygiene reasons, and ready-to-eat items (such as cheese or charcuterie) are not packed together with raw products like fresh meat, so it is best to bring two separate boxes. Because the final decision lies with each individual store, just ask at the counter. Coop also accepts your own containers at the cheese, meat and fish counters and, per coop.ch, is expanding its package-free and reusable range through 2026.

How do I cut packaging in a regular supermarket?

You can avoid a lot of packaging even without a specialist shop. Coop sells nuts and dried fruit loose in the fruit and vegetable section of its larger stores, per coop.ch, and offers reusable Multi-Bags for fruit, vegetables, nuts and bread rolls. Migros sells reusable, transparent Veggie Bags for loose fruit and vegetables that, according to migros.ch, are washable at 30 degrees and perform better environmentally than a single-use plastic bag once used around six times or more. Loose produce is often cheaper than the pre-packed version, because you buy exactly the amount you need and do not pay for packaging. Comparing the unit price per kilo quickly shows whether the loose or the packed item is the better deal.

One practical aside: reusables only pay off if you actually reuse the bags and boxes often. A cloth net that disappears into a drawer saves neither money nor packaging. Keep one or two clean containers ready in your shopping bag and zero-waste shopping becomes effortless.

Does zero-waste shopping really save money?

Often yes, but not automatically. You do not pay for packaging, you buy only the amount you need and you throw less away, which lowers both food waste and cost. At the same time, organic and regional products in a package-free shop can be pricier than standard discounter goods. The deciding factor is a direct price comparison. That is exactly what Rappn is for: the app shows neutrally, with no commercial agreements with any retailer, where the same item is currently cheapest across +3,000 Swiss supermarkets, including +10,000 offers, and it is 100% free.

See it live in Rappn: Before you pack containers and reusable bags, compare loose versus packed fruit, vegetables or cheese directly in the app and combine package-free with the best price. More in the Rappn price comparison and the Migros vs Coop comparison. Sources: migros.ch, coop.ch, taten-statt-worte.ch, zerowasteswitzerland.ch, minimalwaste.ch.