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COST OF LIVING

The rules Swiss cross-border shoppers in France and Italy should know

If you live in Swiss regions of Geneva, Vaud, Jura, Neuchâtel or Ticino you probably shop in France or Italy more or less regularly. Here are the rules you should know about.

Published: 11 January 2022 13:46 CET
Updated: 26 January 2022 12:34 CET
These groceries are much cheaper across the border. Photo by Maria Lin Kim on Unsplash
These groceries are much cheaper across the border. Photo by Maria Lin Kim on Unsplash

Due to lower prices and greater variety, Swiss residents have been shopping in border regions of France for decades.

But if you think shopping in France got more complicated during the pandemic, consider this: “It’s not easy to go shopping in France, when you live in Geneva. At each passage through customs, there are checks. In the other direction too, there are many hassles, since the French francs are no longer accepted in Geneva stores”.

Confused? Don’t be — this is just a blast from the past, specifically from May 31st, 1968, about cross-border shopping on RTS public broadcasting.

The video included in this report shows that while cross-border shopping was as popular half a century ago as it is now, the process was much more complex and involved, for instance, a border guard asking drivers to open their wallets.

The situation is much simpler in January 2022. According to French Embassy in Switzerland, people living within a radius of 30km from the French border and travelling to France for less than 24 hours, are exempted from the obligation to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result required from ‘regular’ tourists.

However, once you are in France and want to get a bite to eat or a drink, you must show your Covid certificate (‘pass sanitaire’) to enter, the same way you would in Switzerland. Swiss certificate is accepted across the border, and vice-versa.

Please note that all the rules outlined in this article pertain to people who permanently reside in Switzerland, regardless of their nationality.

So if you have a UK (or any other) passport but live in Switzerland, these regulations apply to you.

READ MORE: 13 things that are actually ‘cheaper’ in Switzerland

Swiss customs rules

When bringing goods into Switzerland, whether from France or another border country, you will need to pay VAT if the amount exceeds 300 francs. 

While border checks are rare, those who make a habit of exceeding this amount – even if it is for goods for personal use – run the risk of falling foul of the authorities. 

There are several different rules in place for bringing in different items, including meats, cheeses and alcohol. 

The limits for each of these items can be found here. 

Keep in mind that while the 300-franc limit applies now, Switzerland looks set to reduce this to 50 francs in the future – although final approval of this is pending. 

READ MORE: Tax change: Switzerland to introduce 50 franc limit on cross-border shopping

What about French customs?

Swiss residents are entitled to tax free shopping in France, as Switzerland is a non-EU country. 

The rules state you must be at least 16 years of age and be visiting France for a period of less than six months.

French Customs is not responsible for reimbursing the VAT paid on purchases made in France. Only the retailer from whom you purchased the goods can do so, according to the French Customs site.

To qualify, the total amount of your purchases, inclusive of all taxes, must be greater than €100. They must have been bought in the same shop and on the same day. At the time of purchase, the retailer will give you a VAT refund form, which must be signed by both the retailer and you.

More information about how to claim your refund can be found here.

What about shopping in Italy?

Ticino residents are used to hop across the border for money-saving shopping sprees, but they will have to wait until at least January 31st to resume this activity.

That’s because since December 16th and until the end of this month, anyone crossing the border into Italy must meet certain requirements, according to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

  • Complete the Digital Passenger Locator Form
  • Present a Digital COVID Certificate or other equivalent certification which attests the full vaccination or full recovery from coronavirus in the past six months
  • Present a PCR test (carried out within 48 hours) or antigenic swab test (carried out within 24 hours) prior to entry into Italy, with negative test result.

Obviously, these conditions, with no exemption for border residents, don’t make it worthwhile to cross into Italy with the mere purpose of shopping.

READ MORE: What are the current rules for Swiss cross-border shopping in Germany?

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For members

COST OF LIVING

Cost of living: Four challenges Swiss residents are facing and how to deal with them

Even though Switzerland is weathering the economic downturn better than other nations, people are still having to deal with an increasing number of problems. We look at what they are and give tips on how to save money.

Published: 17 July 2023 15:39 CEST
Cost of living: Four challenges Swiss residents are facing and how to deal with them

Its European neighbours probably think Switzerland doesn’t have a care in the world — its inflation rate is much lower than elsewhere and its economy is stronger than most.

All that is true, and looking from the outside in, it does appear that the Swiss are faring relatively well in comparison with their EU counterparts.

However, this idealised perception of Switzerland is deceptive, as many residents are facing hardships that are not likely to be resolved in the immediate future.

Soaring rents

After the Federal Housing Administration raised reference rates to 1.50 percent from June 3rd, another hike — this time to 1.75 percent — by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), also went into effect.

These increases are putting further pressure on the tenants already dealing will high costs amid a very tight housing market, especially in large cities.

READ ALSO: Tenants in Switzerland hit by another blow with rent prices to rise further

TIP: So, what can you do if you have received a notice of your rent going up?

While the situation may seem hopeless, there are some actions you can take.

First, you can check whether the increase is higher than it should be.

You can do this using special online calculators that Switzerland’s tenant association make available.

They ask you to insert relevant information relating to your rental contract, as well as other details, and you will then see if your current rent, as well as any impending hikes, are justified.

The calculator can be found here for Swiss German regions and for French-speaking areas.  

In the mainly Italian-speaking Ticino, the local chapter can inform you how to check your rent. 

If it turns out your hike is excessive, you have the right to challenge it by reporting it to the BWO.

Increasing rents are a major headache in Switzerland. Photo: Pixabay
 

Higher health insurance premiums

Swiss healthcare premiums soared by 6.6 percent on average in 2023, putting an added financial burden on many families.

Unfortunately, these costs are expected to go up again in 2024.

In fact, not only are they set to increase again, but they may also be significantly more expensive next year: the latest figures f already show a 7.5-increase in costs per insured person.

TIP: Health insurance premiums take a huge bite out of household budgets, so what can you do to lower the bill?

Final premiums will be released by October 31st, and you will then have until November 30th to find a cheaper plan that allows you to cut at least some of the cost.

If you do decide to part ways with your current carrier, make sure you have another one in its place before making the switch. Health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland for every resident, whether Swiss or foreign, so you can’t be without coverage even for a short period of time.

Once you find a less expensive option, you can cancel your current plan.

The insurance carrier must receive your termination letter, sent by registered mail, no later than November 30th.

You must attach proof that you have taken out a new insurance policy.

Any outstanding monthly premiums must be paid before you can make the switch

READ ALSO: How to save money by changing your Swiss health policy

Rising cost of electricity

In addition to rents and health insurance, another fixed household cost — electricity — will be hit by price increases as well, even though they already increased sharply in 2023

The expected hike will be around 12 percent, the Association of Swiss Electric Companies announced in June.

This means that a typical household of four people will pay 30 cents per kilowatt hour for its electricity, against 27.2 cents this year.

TIP: While you can’t do anything about the price increases you can lower your bill by using electricity sparingly.

For instance:

  • Use heat in moderation, setting the temperature according to the size of the room and how often it is being used. Unoccupied rooms should not be heated at all
  • Turn off the light when leaving a room (this advice is logical and reasonable, and yet many people neglect to do so)
  • Shut down electrical appliances such as TV and computers completely when not in use, or even unplug them altogether
  • Use appliances with the energy label “A”, LED lamps and energy-saving bulbs, avoiding devices with high energy consumption, such as aquariums and fan heaters

Lower the indoor temperature to save on electricity. Photo: Pixabay
 

Lower purchasing power
 
Even though Switzerland’s inflation dropped to 1.7 percent in June — the lowest level since the war in Ukraine started in February 2022 — the cost of living is continuing to climb.

Not only have all the above-mentioned services gone up, but so have the prices of many essential consumer goods, including food, which have risen by approximately 20 percent. 

TIP: There is obviously not much you can do about food prices. You can, however try to save by shopping in the least expensive stores, for example in Aldi and Lidl, where products are typically cheaper than at Migros and Coop.

You can also opt for cheaper items, collect loyality points to save money and keep an eye on coupons. 

READ ALSO :

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