The vast majority of inspected grocery stores correctly implement the Price Indication Ordinance (PIO). This was announced on Monday by the State Secretariat for the Economy (Seco), which published the results of its inspections carried out in 2,500 businesses throughout Switzerland this year. But nearly one in five businesses display their prices incorrectly, he also notes.
At points of sale, the indication of retail prices of goods was correct in 83% of cases. But for unit prices (per liter, or per kg), the display was only correct in 78% of cases. And regarding the windows, the price indication was only correct in 75% of the stores.
What is actually wrong? According to Seco, most of the time, the information was incomplete or false. Shortcomings were noted in 19% of stores (487), he says. For example, prices were not indicated for certain goods or the indications were not easily readable or visible, particularly with regard to prices per liter or per kilo. Finally, in 8% of stores with a window, no price was indicated for the goods presented.
But in the end, few shops were punished. In less than 1% of cases, administrative fines were imposed (18 in total, none in French-speaking Switzerland) and criminal complaints (12 in total, including four in Geneva and two in Neuchâtel). They were motivated by the refusal of the sellers concerned to apply the rules on the indication of prices, despite the shortcomings noted and the deadlines set to remedy them, explains Seco. Finally, some 430 warnings were issued, including 143 in the canton of Vaud alone.
Hairdressers and beauty salons in 2025
Note that online stores and advertisements were not controlled, nor were bakeries and confectioneries, which had already been subject to control in 2022, specifies Seco. This will lead a new control campaign in 2025. This time it will focus on the indication of prices in barbershops, hairdressers and beauty institutes. These controls aim to encourage sellers to pay attention to price indication, which “helps to promote fair competition and protect consumers,” according to Seco.
