The Swiss VAT exemption limit for purchases made abroad was halved from CHF300 to CHF150 at the start of this year. “A reduction to CHF50 would have been ideal,” Migros CEO Mario Irminger said in an interview with CH Media.
The Migros boss was satisfied with his company’s business performance in 2024. According to his estimates, sales will be slightly above CHF32 billion of the previous year.
The operating result should also be stable or better than in 2023, when Migros reported a low profit of CHF175 million compared to previous years due to high special depreciation. Such burdens are not to be expected this time, Irminger emphasized.
Migros continues to enjoy a strong connection with the Swiss population, says Irminger. “Practically every household has a connection with Migros.” This goes far beyond the supermarket: households with a migration background in particular often first get to know Migros through its language courses.
Austerity measures
Despite the shift towards online solutions and apps, the language courses at the Migros Klubschule will not fall victim to the current austerity measures, as Irminger further assured: “The language schools are of course not self-sustaining. But this educational offering is one of the most important pillars of our cultural commitment.”
Despite austerity measures, Migros is planning major investments. Over the next five years, 350 existing supermarkets are to be modernised, as the company announced in October. In addition, 140 new supermarkets are to be opened, increasing the number of branches from 790 to 930. Migros plans to invest CHF2 billion in these new openings alone.
The project will not be easy, Irminger admitted. Nevertheless, he sees good chances thanks to the anchoring of the ten regional cooperatives and their familiarity with the regional building regulations. “Thirty branches per year are realistic,” said the Migros CEO.
Translated from German by DeepL/mga
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Free trade remains ‘core’ Swiss value despite Trump tariffs
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter says Switzerland remains committed to free trade despite a new 31% tariff on Swiss exports to the United States.
This content was published on
The new regulation targets plants developed through new breeding technologies that don’t include transgenic genetic material.
WHO faces $1.8 billion budget shortfall amid US withdrawal
This content was published on
The 2026-2027 budget for the Geneva-based organisation has been reduced to $4.2 billion, on top of this year’s $600 million shortfall.
Swiss government proposes lifting nuclear power ban
This content was published on
While the centre-right and the energy sector are welcoming the Swiss government’s counter-proposal, the Greens are threatening to call a referendum.
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.