Swiss go on shopping spree

Swiss consumer confidence has reached an 11-year high. In its latest report, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said the consumer index had risen to 19 points.

It comes on the heels of the release of unemployment figures showing the jobless rate at an eight year low. Other economic indicators also point to continued economic growth.

SECO’s Bettina Müller told Swissinfo that this data “is an image of what’s going on in general in the economy. A lot of data shows that things are getting better, people are consuming more.”

The consumer confidence survey is seen as a key barometer of how secure people feel, based on their own finances and the situation in the country as a whole.

“It seems that if you look at other countries things are getting better too. There is this feeling of a better climate, exports are up and Switzerland’s European markets are getting better,” said Bettina Müller.

“I think it’s going in a good direction,” added Bettina Müller, “we have a pretty positive outlook.”

by Tom O’Brien