Survey: Consumers in Switzerland to tighten belts in 2026

Many consumers in Switzerland want to spend less money in 2026 Keystone-SDA

The mood among consumers in Switzerland is tense. A survey shows that around a third of the population wants to tighten their belts and save money in the new year. This is particularly the case in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino.

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According to the Konsum Monitor survey conducted by market research institute Management Tools Research and published on Tuesday, 32% of respondents plan to spend less money in 2026 than in 2025, while the figure is as high as 41% for people under the age of 45. Only 19% of respondents plan to spend more in 2026, while 44% want to keep spending constant.

“We expect consumer behaviour to be cautious in 2026. Inflation is almost gone, but large parts of the population are obviously still feeling a lot of pressure to save,” Laura Colledani, Co-CEO of Management Tools Research, is quoted as saying in the press release.

Less money for consumer goods and clothing

Savings are being made above all in areas where purchases can be postponed. According to the survey, 37% want to spend less on consumer goods and 35% on clothing. Many people are also cutting back on eating out: 31% want to save on restaurants and 24% on culture, leisure activities and hobbies.

The cautious consumer behaviour is likely to be reflected in the sales of many providers, the report continued. For example, around a quarter of those surveyed plan to spend less money in furniture stores – such as IKEA – in the coming year. And more than a fifth plan to spend less on electronics or household items at Galaxus, Media Markt, Fust or Interdiscount.

According to the survey, however, hardly any savings will be made on food purchases. Around half of those surveyed plan to spend the same amount as last year, although they are more likely to reduce rather than increase their budget when shopping at major retailers such as Migros or Coop. Consumers are likely to spend more on cheaper own-brand products.

Gloomier mood in Ticino and French-speaking Switzerland

Among the Swiss surveyed, 42% still rate the economic situation as good and a further 6% as very good. However, 30% have already made budget adjustments in order to make ends meet. Some 17% describe the current situation as difficult and 4% even speak of a crisis.

Concerns are greatest in Ticino and French-speaking Switzerland: 59% of people surveyed in Ticino describe their situation as tense, difficult or even critical. In French-speaking Switzerland, the figure is as high as 61%. In German-speaking Switzerland, on the other hand, more than half of respondents (52%) are not worried about their bank balance.

In the Konsum Monitor, the Management Tools Research institute conducts an annual survey of the Swiss population’s consumption and savings intentions for the new year. For the first edition of the study, 1,209 people aged between 16 and 79 were surveyed between December 4 and 10, 2025 via the Bilendi online panel.

Adapted from German by AI/jdp

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