Swiss-made candles thrive as imports dominate shelves

Most candles sold in Switzerland are imported. RTS

Once used mainly for lighting, prayer or birthdays, candles have become a lifestyle accessory and symbol. The Swiss public broadcaster RTS met candle-making entrepreneurs in French-speaking Switzerland who are carving out a niche for themselves.

With more than 120,000 candles sold last year, the company Hello Candle is growing steadily. It was founded in 2018 by Marie Broquet and Younès Mokaddem, a couple from Yverdon-les-Bains. They began making candles in the hallway of their flat. Today, they make up to 1,000 candles a day in the town of Grandson, in premises covering 600 square metres. The company employs six people all year round, as well as around 20 temporary staff for Christmas markets.

For their products, they rely on locally sourced and European materials. “We use European-grown, GMO-free soya wax, natural fragrances from Grasse, France, and wicks made from scrap wood,” explains Marie Broquet. “For packaging and labelling, we work exclusively with Swiss or European suppliers.”

A market dominated by imports

A glance at shop shelves shows that most candles sold in Switzerland are imported. In 2024, Switzerland imported 15,000 tonnes of candles, worth a total of CHF67 million ($84 million). The main supplier countries were Poland, China and Germany.

Prices vary widely. At the Coop City supermarket, candles cost under CHF40, while at the Globus department store the most expensive model sells for CHF1,690.

At the Bongénie department store, sales in the candle segment are rising. “They grew by 17% in 2024 compared with 2023,” says Claudia Torrequadra, head of communications. She attributes this trend partly to the Covid-19 pandemic: “Covid gave a boost to cocooning. People want to feel good in their own homes.”

A soothing micro-ritual

“Lighting a candle may seem like an insignificant gesture, but it isn’t,” says Julien Intartaglia, professor of experiential marketing at the Arc School of Management (HEG Arc) in Neuchâtel. “It’s one of those soothing micro-rituals that reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and stimulate the release of oxytocin, which is linked to well-being.”

In uncertain times marked by rapid technological change, candles offer reassurance, he adds. “They help people refocus on the moment they are about to experience, as if time were slowing down.”

As a result, the global candle market is growing by around 6.5% a year. Currently valued at $14 billion, it could reach $21 billion by 2030.

Translated from French using DeepL/amva/sb