Rent takes a bigger chunk of household budget after a move

There is an unwritten rule in Switzerland that  rent should not exceed one-third of income.

However, according to a new study conducted by the real estate company Wüest Partner, after a move to a new apartment, even of the same size, a large portion of tenants are paying much more to cover the cost of new digs.

The study found that 28 percent of households spend more than a third of their income on rent after moving.

This is especially the case in Geneva, where 56 percent of tenants see their rents exceed one-third of their earnings. Zug is next with 40 percent, followed by Zurich and Vaud (36 percent), and Ticino (31 percent).

Health insurance premiums could continue to soar

The Swiss Trade Union (USS) estimates that if the two initiatives to be voted on June 9th are rejected by voters, a family of four would have to pay 27 percent more for their health insurance by the year 2030.

These calculations are based on official government figures, the USS said.

A premium for a single adult would also increase — from 430 to 540 francs a month on average — and would likely be even higher in certain cantons.

READ ALSO: How Switzerland’s two crucial health insurance referendums could impact you 

Zurich schools correct students’ homework using artificial intelligence

The correction app from the Swiss company Herby Vision has been tested in five Zurich schools over the past few months and the feedback from teachers “has been very positive,” according to Raphael von Thiessen, who is in charge of the project at the Cantonal Office for Economy and Innovation (OCEI).
 
This is how this system works: as soon as students complete an assignment, they take a photo of it with their smartphone or tablet.

An algorithm then checks the work and makes corrections directly on the image. Teachers have nothing to do, other than see on the app whether students have completed their homework, and how well they did.

Before this system can be introduced in all schools, however, “there is an urgent need to establish clear guidelines to ensure that AI is deployed responsibly and effectively in the education system,” OCEI pointed out.

Why is the price of Swiss chocolate likely to increase again?

In 2023, cocoa prices rose to all-time highs, due to bad weather conditions which have damaged crop yields in West Africa, where three-quarters of the world’s cocoa production takes place.

This, in turn, has had repercussions on Swiss chocolate industry.

But the sector’s woes are not over, because the price of cocoa is continuing its upward trend.

As a result, Swiss chocolate is set to become more expensive, according to Marco Peter, director of Lindt Switzerland

“The price rise is dramatic and concerns us greatly,” he said. “We are trying to remedy this by reducing production costs, but this is only possible to a limited extent.

Therefore, Lindt chocolate will be “more than 10 percent more expensive” in Switzerland this year in Switzerland, he added.

READ ALSO: What’s going wrong with Swiss chocolate? 
 
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