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COST OF LIVING

Melondramatic: Zurich store charges more than 100 francs for one watermelon

A Zurich store has justified charging more than 100 francs for a watermelon, saying it has been grown organically and it arrived in Switzerland by rail.

Published: 24 August 2021 17:31 CEST
Melondramatic: Zurich store charges more than 100 francs for one watermelon
A generic picture of a (presumably) much cheaper watermelon. Photo by Art Rachen on Unsplash

Switzerland is known for expensive prices, including for imported fruit and vegetables.

But this organic watermelon is being sold for more than 100 francs in Zurich, which must rank as the highest fee ever demanded for a watermelon – or any single piece of fruit. 

Cost of living: Which parts of Switzerland are actually cheap to live in?

The 14 kilogram organic watermelon costs CHF101.50 (£81, US$111, €94.50), or roughly seven francs per kilo. 

The melon is on sale at Zurich department store Globus, who say the cost is justified due to the rarity of the melon and its organic production. 

The news was initially reported by Inside Paradeplatz, a Zurich finance news site. 

Since then, it has been picked up by other news outlets. 

Property: In which Swiss cantons are homes the cheapest – and the most expensive?

“Such a large melon is only found very rarely”, Globus spokesperson Franziska Gämperle told Swiss tabloid Blick. 

“We get these from a small, exclusive supplier in Italy with a focus on quality and the environment.”

“Such large watermelons are seldom available and are more complex to produce,” Gämperle continued, saying that the cost was also higher as the melons are only transported by rail to ensure they arrive without damage or bruises. 

Is this the most overpriced thing you’ve ever seen in Switzerland? If not, let us know. 

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ENERGY

EXPLAINED: How high will heating bills be this winter in Germany?

The cost of energy is expected to rise again this coming winter, even though the government's price cap is supposed to be in effect until April 2024. Here's what households can expect.

Published: 31 October 2023 10:31 CET
Updated: 5 November 2023 22:45 CET
EXPLAINED: How high will heating bills be this winter in Germany?

The onset of winter will raise concerns for many in Germany about the cost of heating their homes, with memories of last year’s rocketing prices and concerns over domestic gas supply resurfacing. 

But, compared to last year, the energy prices have now largely stabilised, though they are still higher than in 2021.

The stabilisation in prices is partly thanks to the government’s energy price cap which came into force earlier this year to cushion the blow of soaring energy prices by capping electricity costs at 40 cents per kilowatt-hour and natural gas at 12 cents.

READ ALSO: Germany looks to extend energy price cap until April 2024

The federal government plans to maintain this cap until the end of April, though this could be extended even longer, if necessary. 

How high are heating costs expected to go this year?

For the current year, experts from co2online expect somewhat lower heating costs than last year.

Heating with gas, for example, is expected to be 11 percent cheaper in 2023 than in 2022, costing €1,310 per year for a flat of 70 square metres. 

The cost of heating with wood pellets will drop by 17 percent to €870 per year, and heating with heating oil will cost 19 percent less and amount to €1,130.

According to co2online, the costs for heating with a heat pump will drop the most – by 20 percent to €1,1105. The reason for this, according to co2online, is a wider range of heat pump electricity tariffs.

Tax hikes in January

Starting January next year, the government will raise the value-added tax on natural gas from seven to nineteen percent.

Alongside this, the CO2 price, applicable when refuelling and heating, will also increase.

According to energy expert Thomas Engelke from the Federal Consumer Association, these increases will mean that a small single-family household with three or four people that heats with gas would then pay about €240 more per year for gas.

“That’s a lot”, he said. 

Another additional cost factor to consider is that network operators also want to raise prices. However, the federal government plans to allocate €5.5 billion to cushion this increase for consumers as much as possible, so how such cost increases will ultimately affect consumers is currently hard to estimate.

READ ALSO: Why people in Germany are being advised to switch energy suppliers

Overall, it can be said that, from January, consumers will have to brace themselves for higher energy costs, even though massive increases are currently not expected.

Consumer advocate Engelke advised customers to closely examine where potential savings could be made this upcoming winter: “Those who are now signing a new gas or electricity contract should inform themselves and possibly switch. Currently, you can save a few hundred euros. It’s worth it. On the other hand, you should also try to save as much energy as possible this winter.”

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