Distributing a product

Evolution of the sector

The distribution market in Switzerland is dominated by vertically integrated retailers. This allows them to have a centralized buying system in order to remain competitive when compared to independent retailers.

The number of independent retailers is thus decreasing, giving way to a growing number of discount stores and supermarkets. Most of the leading retailers are legally structured as cooperatives.

Market shares

Department stores, chain stores, consumer cooperatives, discount stores and supermarkets comprise the majority of such retailers that deal in a wide range of products and services ranging from textiles, leather goods, sports articles, pharmaceuticals, toys, to hardware.

Organizations in the retail sector

Swiss Retailers Association (SRA)

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

Main International economic cooperation

Switzerland has a customs union with Liechtenstein in 1924. Switzerland is a member of European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Other members are Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway. Switzerland has signed bilateral agreements with the EU that guarantee many of the same economic advantages and lowered barriers to trade that EU members enjoy.The USA and Switzerland have formed a “Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum” to promote mutual trade. Switzerland also signed last february, 2009 a Free-Trade Agreement with Japan allowing the exemption of customs duties for 99 % of trade transactions between these two countries, within 10 years. Finally, Switzerland has signed free trade agreements with the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Albania.

Non tariff barriers

Switzerland has a strict policy for import of agricultural biotechnology products. It involves a lengthy approval process. Quotas exist for import of certain products (mainly food items) which vary from year to year vary from year to year depending upon the size of harvests, volume of stocks and market requirements. These quotas are granted only to importers based in Switzerland and they need an import license. Import licenses are also required for certain products not subject to quotas, but which are covered by special regulations concerned with public health, plant health, quarantine (plants), veterinary regulations; regulations concerning the protection of endangered species, safety measures, price control (for certain textile products).

Customs duties and taxes on imports

5.5% Swiss duties are generally "specific" rather than "ad valorem". Duty varies according to the item imported. For details, visit: Swiss Customs Office 

Customs classification

Harmonized System (HS) is used.

Import procedures

The goods to be imported into the country need to be presented to the appropriate Customs office and declared for customs clearance. The following time limits are followed for declaration of imported goods from arrival into the country by various means of transportation: road, 24 hours; river, 48 hours; rail, 7 days; and air, 7 days. The importer may examine goods before submitting them for clearance.

 

 

 However in reality, almost all commercial shipments are handled by forwarding companies, which, in most cases, also are legally empowered to act as Customs agents. For more details, visit: Swiss Customs Office

Importing samples

Goods that are used as and which qualify as samples are eligible for duty-free entry.  In order to qualify, words "sample, not for resale" should be written on the commercial invoice. 

The goods for display at public exhibitions are also eligible for free passage (Freipass) through Swiss customs. Certification from the trade fair authorities that the goods are entering Switzerland for the exhibition is usually required. Exhibition goods must be re-exported within a month of the end of the exhibition. If the goods are sold to a Swiss resident off the exhibition floor, the buyer incurs a liability for the customs charges. Almost all fairgrounds have a Customs office on site.

For further information

Federal Customs Administration
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

Federal Office of Transport

Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication

Ports

Port of Switzerland

Airports

The airport of Zurich
The airport of Geneva
The airport of Bern
The airport of Basel

Sea transport organizations

Federal Office of Transport

Air transport organizations

Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA).

Road transport organizations

Federal Roads Office (FEDRO)

Rail transport organizations

Federal Office of Transport

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

There are approximately 76,000 companies with around one million employees operating in the Swiss manufacturing sector. The sector contributes 42 % to the country’s total exports in terms of volume. Three industries namely mechanical, electrical and metal known in German by the abbreviation MEM play a central role in the Swiss economy.

The MEM industries, together with related fields such as information and communication technologies also develop high performing production facilities for numerous other industrial sectors, such as the agricultural, automobile, chemical-pharmaceutical, electronic, food and textile industries.

Business directories

Yellow Pages Switzerland
Kompass Directory
Swiss Firms
D & B Switzerland

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Electrosuisse (Association for Electrical Engineering, Power and Information Technologies)
Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH)
Swiss Technology Network ( Association of Electronics, Automatation Equipment, Computer Manufacturers and Distributors)
Swiss Society of Chemical Industries
Swissmem (Machine-Electro- and Metal Industry Association)
FASMED ( Swiss Medical Devices Technology Association)

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Economie suisse (Swiss Federation of Commerce and Industry)
International Chamber of Commerce of Switzerland
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Enterprises federation

Economie suisse (Swiss Federation of Commerce and Industry)

Standards

National standards organizations

Swiss Standards Association SNV (Schweizerische Normen Vereinigung). SNV is the umbrella of all standards and certification organisations in Switzerland.

Integration in the international standards network

SNV is a member :

 

 International Standard organization (ISO)

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

CEN (European agency for standards)

International Communication Union (ITU)

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Classification of standards

The various domains of standardization along with relevant organisation is mentioned below:

1. Electrosuisse Domains covered: electrical savety standards, electromagnetic emissions

2. SIA   Domains covered: building standards (above and underground construction,cultural aspects, environmental critera, insulation, air-cond/heating/safety)

3. VSS Domains covered: traffic safety, planning of public and private sector transportation networks, energy efficiency, signaling, safety in tunnels, financing

4. SVGW Sector covered: quality standards of processes and equipment for drinking water and natural gas

5. VSA Sector covered: sewage treatment and water pollution control

6. SICTA (Swiss Information & Communications Technology Association)  Sector covered: Communications equipment

7. BAKOM (Swiss Federal Office for Communications) Sector covered: telecommunications incl. radio and TV;

8. Swissmem  Sector covered: industrial machinery such as machine tools, textile machines,packaging machine, power generating and distribution equipment etc.

9. Interpharma  Secor covered: manufacturers of pharmaceuticals with own research departments

10. SWISSMEDIC Sector covered: Therapeutic Products (Swiss government agency similar to FDA in USA)

11. SUVA Sector covered: Occupational safety.

12. BAG Sector covered: public health

Online consultation of standards

Visit the SNV.

Certification organizations

Swiss Federal Office for Metrology and Accreditation (SAS).

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The body in charge with the protection of intellectual property in Switzerland is the Federal Institute of the Intellectual property (IGE).

Regional organizations

Convention on Grants of European Patents (European Patent Convention of 1973).

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Membership to the TRIPS agreement - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)