Coop to sell ‘expired’ meat for half price

Coop supermarkets in German-speaking Switzerland will soon be selling meat which has reached its use-by date.

It will be sold at a 50-percent discount.

Meat unsold on its sell-by day will be placed in a freezer, so it can reach -18C before midnight. It can then be sold in the frozen food aisle for an additional 90 days.

“Its quality will remain impeccable,” according to Coop.

The retailer said this move will prevent unnecessary food waste and help those on low income.

Medicine shortages are becoming chronic in Switzerland
 
The shortage of drugs is getting worse from one year to another.

For instance, ZüriPharma, which manages the pharmacy at the University Hospital of Zurich, recorded fewer than 200 shortages in 2021, more than 370 in 2022 and 459 in 2023.

“The phenomenon unfortunately affects all categories of medications,” said Pierre Voirol, deputy chief pharmacist at the Vaud University Hospital Center (CHUV).

The reason for the on-going scarcity , according to Christian Henseler, head of purchasing at Migros’ online pharmacy, is conflict in Ukraine, as this country used to be a major supplier of packaging for tablets.

“The war has severely disrupted entire supply chains, even though all of the drug components themselves were available,” Henseler said.

Ailing Swiss glaciers get a bit of respite

Thanks to abundant snowfall this past winter, “the condition of Swiss glaciers is better than in recent years,” according to Mathias Huus, head of the Switzerland’s glaciological survey network.
 
The glaciers which have been heavily impacted by climate change in previous years, but are faring slightly better now.

Is the snow that fell during  winter of 2023 – 2024 sufficient to reverse the damage?

“Probably not,” Huss said, adding, however, that losses could be less dramatic.

Edelweiss airline to fly to three new destinations

Edelweiss, Switzerland’s ‘holiday airline’, which is a subsidiary of national carrier, SWISS; will add three new destinations to the 2024 / 2025 winter schedule.

All are located in North Africa or Asia, ensuring warm weather throughout the winter.

From  November 6th, 2024, the airline will fly twice a week from its hub in Zurich to Sphinx International Airport in Egypt. This airport is the gateway to the pyramids of Giza and a good starting point for Nile cruises.

Edelweiss will also fly two times a week to the Tunisian capital, Tunis, starting from December 19th. 2024.

The third winter destination is Salalah, located in the south of Oman. From the end of February 2025, Edelweiss will be flying twice a week from Zurich via Muscat to Salalah and back non-stop.

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