Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Lidl Switzerland recalls a toxic sauce
The supermarket chain took off the shelves and recalled its “Italiamo Pesto alla Genovese” sauce as it is likely contaminated with ethylene oxide, a dangerous biocidal agent.
This product, manufactured by Italian company Polli, is not authorised for sale in Switzerland. The recall concerns 190-gramme jars with lot numbers MUC172 and MUC988, and the sell-by date of 03.2024.
Customers should not use this sauce, but bring it back to any Lidl branch in Switzerland. The purchase price will be refunded, even if the receipt is not presented, the retailer says.
Not much hope of good weather for the rest of the summer
So far this summer, Switzerland has been hit by unusually heavy rain and thunderstorms, interspersed with some (but not nearly enough) sunny and warm days.
Unfortunately, the forecast for the remaining days of summer is not very bright.
According to Christophe Salamin, a meteorologist with MeteoSwiss, temperatures will soon begin to drop.
"The fact that the days are getting shorter means that we will also have lower temperatures in general…sometime between August 15th and 20th ", he said.
READ MORE: UPDATE: How Switzerland’s flood planning helped it avoid disaster
Switzerland faces shortage of slippers
With the new school year to begin soon, some school supplies are hard to find.
For instance, slippers which children in lower schools have to wear in class are scarce at the moment.
Retailers across Switzerland are reporting shortages of this item, not expecting deliveries before the school year begins in many cantons.
This may prevent numerous students from starting the new school year on the right foot.
The weather is bad, but the economy is looking up
The outlook for the Swiss labour market continues to improve, economists say.
The improvement seen for months in the labour market appears to be a lasting trend, according to Zurich-based KOF Economic Institute.
Its data shows that employment exceeded its long-term average in the third quarter — the first such development since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
This trend “points to strong job growth in the coming months”, including in the manufacturing and hospitality sectors, which have been significantly impacted by the pandemic.
“Banks and the insurance industry are the only exceptions to the generally positive development,” KOF noted.
Beat the queues at Geneva airport
Airports are very busy during the holidays and at times can even become chaotic as thousands of passengers are trying to check in and go through the security line at the same time.
To speed up the process, Geneva airport is launching a new 'skip-the-line' pass for its Priority Lane.
To save time at the security check, the traveller has the choice between purchasing a subscription lasting three months (90 francs), six months (140 francs) or 12 months (240). Personal and nominative, this subscription gives passengers an unlimited access to the quick Priority Lane.
The purchase can be made only online in the smartphone Wallet application.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Lidl Switzerland recalls a toxic sauce
The supermarket chain took off the shelves and recalled its “Italiamo Pesto alla Genovese” sauce as it is likely contaminated with ethylene oxide, a dangerous biocidal agent.
This product, manufactured by Italian company Polli, is not authorised for sale in Switzerland. The recall concerns 190-gramme jars with lot numbers MUC172 and MUC988, and the sell-by date of 03.2024.
Customers should not use this sauce, but bring it back to any Lidl branch in Switzerland. The purchase price will be refunded, even if the receipt is not presented, the retailer says.
Not much hope of good weather for the rest of the summer
So far this summer, Switzerland has been hit by unusually heavy rain and thunderstorms, interspersed with some (but not nearly enough) sunny and warm days.
Unfortunately, the forecast for the remaining days of summer is not very bright.
According to Christophe Salamin, a meteorologist with MeteoSwiss, temperatures will soon begin to drop.
"The fact that the days are getting shorter means that we will also have lower temperatures in general…sometime between August 15th and 20th ", he said.
READ MORE: UPDATE: How Switzerland’s flood planning helped it avoid disaster
Switzerland faces shortage of slippers
With the new school year to begin soon, some school supplies are hard to find.
For instance, slippers which children in lower schools have to wear in class are scarce at the moment.
Retailers across Switzerland are reporting shortages of this item, not expecting deliveries before the school year begins in many cantons.
This may prevent numerous students from starting the new school year on the right foot.
The weather is bad, but the economy is looking up
The outlook for the Swiss labour market continues to improve, economists say.
The improvement seen for months in the labour market appears to be a lasting trend, according to Zurich-based KOF Economic Institute.
Its data shows that employment exceeded its long-term average in the third quarter — the first such development since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
This trend “points to strong job growth in the coming months”, including in the manufacturing and hospitality sectors, which have been significantly impacted by the pandemic.
“Banks and the insurance industry are the only exceptions to the generally positive development,” KOF noted.
Beat the queues at Geneva airport
Airports are very busy during the holidays and at times can even become chaotic as thousands of passengers are trying to check in and go through the security line at the same time.
To speed up the process, Geneva airport is launching a new 'skip-the-line' pass for its Priority Lane.
To save time at the security check, the traveller has the choice between purchasing a subscription lasting three months (90 francs), six months (140 francs) or 12 months (240). Personal and nominative, this subscription gives passengers an unlimited access to the quick Priority Lane.
The purchase can be made only online in the smartphone Wallet application.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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