For the first time since 1982, average annual chocolate consumption in Switzerland has fallen below the 10 kg per person mark.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ac
On average, a Swiss resident munched 9.9 kg of chocolate in 2020, 6.9% less than the year before, according to the Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers (Chocosuisse). This decline was at the expense of Swiss-made chocolate, as the import volume of foreign-made chocolate increased by 1.8%. and its share rose from 41% to 43%.
The industry body blames protectionist measures at home for the rising sales of imported chocolates in Switzerland.
“This trend is being driven by an asymmetry in the border protection of raw materials and processed products: as a result of the border protection, certain raw materials are twice as expensive in Switzerland as abroad,” said a statement by Chocosuisse on Monday.
The Covid-19 pandemic also took a toll on the industry. Production fell by more than 10% to 180,000 tonnes. As a result, exports dropped by 11.5% to 126,000 tonnes. In total, chocolate sales fell by 14.5% to CHF1.53 billion ($1.68 billion).
“There was one factory closure in 2020 as well as a 4.8% decrease in the number of people employed in the industry,” said Chocosuisse.
More
More
The pioneers of Switzerland’s ‘Chocolate Revolution’
This content was published on
How did a country without a single homegrown cocoa bean become one of the world’s leading chocolate manufacturers?
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
This content was published on
François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
This content was published on
By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
This content was published on
The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
This content was published on
The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
This content was published on
The studyExternal link, which was published in Nature Scientific Reports on Tuesday, repeatedly exposed 50 students, half of whom were Swiss, to the odour of chocolate and asked them to comment on its intensity. The Swiss participants, especially those who were made conscious of their Swiss identity though a questionnaire, showed the greatest sensitivity to…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.