Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Meat prices set to increase by summer
While prices for most foods have not risen dramatically for the time being, Switzerland's largest supermarket chains are expecting costs to go up within the next few months.
This will especially be the case for agricultural products dependent on the highly priced animal feed, including meat. “We expect pork, for example, to become more expensive”, including pork-based products such as sausages, said Isabelle Zimmermann, Migros’ financial director.
She added that “the war in Ukraine has aggravated the situation, much more than the Covid crisis.”
The same situation is expected at Coop, where "due to price increases for animal feed and energy, there will be price adjustments for Swiss meat, which makes up the bulk of our assortment ”, according to company spokesperson Rebecca Veiga.
Philipp Sax, vice-director of the Swiss Professional Meat Union is also expecting higher prices in the coming months, but softens the blow by saying the increase will be a “single-digit percentage”.
READ MORE: How Covid, inflation and the Ukraine invasion has made Switzerland more expensive
Government to ensure more efficient supply of essential goods
The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have shed new light on the complexity and vulnerability of Switzerland’s supply systems.
The Federal Council has therefore decided to reform the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES), whose resources had shrunk considerably since the end of the Cold War.
The government will now allocate more staff and resources to FONES, so it is better prepared to meet its mandate of ensuring the availability of vital goods and services.
They include basic foodstuffs and medications, as well as infrastructures necessary for supply, such as transport and logistics, energy networks, and information and communication technologies.
READ MORE: Chocolate, painkillers and cheese: The emergency pack Switzerland wants you to have
This is why household chores are bad for you
If you have been looking for an excuse to get out of cleaning your house, look no longer.
New official data clearly indicates that thousands of Swiss are injured each year about this time of year while performing even the most mundane household chores.
“In the spring, many people feel a sudden urge to clean. The problem is that it doesn't always go well”, the Accident Prevention Office (BPA) said in a press release.
Most common accidents include falls, burns and intoxications with cleaning products.
Advice to survive the chores intact? “Remember to bring a stepladder worthy of the name to dust the corners or rummage in the back of the cupboards. Chairs, crates or stacks of books are not suitable alternatives,” the organisation says.
Avec l’arrivée du printemps, l’envie de faire les à-fonds nous titille. Une activité qui n’est pas sans danger. Chaque année, en Suisse, près de 40 000 personnes subissent un accident en nettoyant ou en cuisinant. Mieux vaut ne rien laisser au hasard : https://t.co/XiNtCaIqjK pic.twitter.com/vvY3jF08lq
— prévention accidents (@bpa_ch) March 29, 2022
‘Marriage for all’ enshrined in Swiss law
Though accepted in a referendum back in September 2021, the Federal Council finally enshrined same-sex marriage in Swiss legislation on Wednesday, paving the way for the new law to come into force on July 1st.
From this date on, gay couples will be able to marry, though the preparatory procedure for marriage can be started before this date.
Same-sex couples will also be able to convert their registered partnership into marriage: a simple joint declaration to a civil status officer will suffice to convert a current partnership.
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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Meat prices set to increase by summer
While prices for most foods have not risen dramatically for the time being, Switzerland's largest supermarket chains are expecting costs to go up within the next few months.
This will especially be the case for agricultural products dependent on the highly priced animal feed, including meat. “We expect pork, for example, to become more expensive”, including pork-based products such as sausages, said Isabelle Zimmermann, Migros’ financial director.
She added that “the war in Ukraine has aggravated the situation, much more than the Covid crisis.”
The same situation is expected at Coop, where "due to price increases for animal feed and energy, there will be price adjustments for Swiss meat, which makes up the bulk of our assortment ”, according to company spokesperson Rebecca Veiga.
Philipp Sax, vice-director of the Swiss Professional Meat Union is also expecting higher prices in the coming months, but softens the blow by saying the increase will be a “single-digit percentage”.
READ MORE: How Covid, inflation and the Ukraine invasion has made Switzerland more expensive
Government to ensure more efficient supply of essential goods
The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have shed new light on the complexity and vulnerability of Switzerland’s supply systems.
The Federal Council has therefore decided to reform the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES), whose resources had shrunk considerably since the end of the Cold War.
The government will now allocate more staff and resources to FONES, so it is better prepared to meet its mandate of ensuring the availability of vital goods and services.
They include basic foodstuffs and medications, as well as infrastructures necessary for supply, such as transport and logistics, energy networks, and information and communication technologies.
READ MORE: Chocolate, painkillers and cheese: The emergency pack Switzerland wants you to have
This is why household chores are bad for you
If you have been looking for an excuse to get out of cleaning your house, look no longer.
New official data clearly indicates that thousands of Swiss are injured each year about this time of year while performing even the most mundane household chores.
“In the spring, many people feel a sudden urge to clean. The problem is that it doesn't always go well”, the Accident Prevention Office (BPA) said in a press release.
Most common accidents include falls, burns and intoxications with cleaning products.
Advice to survive the chores intact? “Remember to bring a stepladder worthy of the name to dust the corners or rummage in the back of the cupboards. Chairs, crates or stacks of books are not suitable alternatives,” the organisation says.
Avec l’arrivée du printemps, l’envie de faire les à-fonds nous titille. Une activité qui n’est pas sans danger. Chaque année, en Suisse, près de 40 000 personnes subissent un accident en nettoyant ou en cuisinant. Mieux vaut ne rien laisser au hasard : https://t.co/XiNtCaIqjK pic.twitter.com/vvY3jF08lq
— prévention accidents (@bpa_ch) March 29, 2022
‘Marriage for all’ enshrined in Swiss law
Though accepted in a referendum back in September 2021, the Federal Council finally enshrined same-sex marriage in Swiss legislation on Wednesday, paving the way for the new law to come into force on July 1st.
From this date on, gay couples will be able to marry, though the preparatory procedure for marriage can be started before this date.
Same-sex couples will also be able to convert their registered partnership into marriage: a simple joint declaration to a civil status officer will suffice to convert a current partnership.
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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