Save money · Food

How to Save on Food & Groceries in Switzerland

Cut your weekly food bill by 30–50% using the same tactics locals quietly rely on — discount supermarkets, store brands, 50% stickers, Too Good To Go and farmers markets.

Filter tips by city

1. Budget supermarkets: Aldi, Lidl & Denner

Aldi Suisse, Lidl and Denner are the three discount chains. Expect groceries 25–40% cheaper than Migros or Coop on like-for-like staples. Denner is owned by Migros but kept independent for pricing — best for alcohol, meat and pantry items.

Item	Migros	Coop	Aldi	Lidl	Denner
1 L milk	CHF 1.65	CHF 1.65	CHF 1.29	CHF 1.29	CHF 1.45
500 g pasta	CHF 1.95	CHF 1.95	CHF 1.10	CHF 1.10	CHF 1.25
Bread loaf 500 g	CHF 2.40	CHF 2.50	CHF 1.80	CHF 1.80	CHF 1.95
Chicken breast 1 kg	CHF 24.00	CHF 25.00	CHF 16.00	CHF 16.00	CHF 18.00
12 eggs (free range)	CHF 6.50	CHF 6.80	CHF 4.50	CHF 4.50	CHF 4.95

Indicative prices, 2026. Updated quarterly.

Big saving
zurich: Aldi at Letzipark and Sihlcity; Lidl at Hardbrücke and Oerlikon. Denner everywhere.
Big saving
geneva: Aldi in Carouge and Meyrin; Lidl in Vernier. Many residents also cross into Annemasse (FR) for produce.
Big saving
basel: Aldi at Dreispitz; Lidl at Gundeli and Pratteln. Cross-border shopping in Lörrach (DE) is huge.
Moderate
bern: Aldi at Wankdorf and Brünnen; Lidl at Wankdorf-Center.
Moderate
lausanne: Aldi in Renens; Lidl in Crissier. Easy by metro M1.
Moderate
lucerne: Aldi at Emmen-Center; Lidl in Kriens. Both reachable by tram/bus.

2. Store brands: M-Budget & Prix Garantie

M-Budget (Migros) and Prix Garantie (Coop) are the in-house discount lines. Quality is competitive with branded equivalents at 30–50% lower prices. They are deliberately placed on the bottom shelves — always look down.

3. The 50% sticker hack

Yellow '50% Aktion' or 'Action 50%' stickers appear on perishables 1–2 hours before closing. The richest haul is Saturday evening because shops are closed Sunday across most of Switzerland. Meat, fish, ready meals and bakery items are reliably reduced. The Migros and Coop apps occasionally show stores with active discounts.

Big saving

4. Too Good To Go — step by step

1Download the Too Good To Go app (iOS / Android).
2Set your city — Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern have the deepest selection.
3Browse 'Magic Bags' from bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants.
4Pay in-app (CHF 4.90–6.90 typical for ~CHF 15–20 retail value).
5Pick up in the listed window — usually 30–60 minutes.

5. Farmers markets

Fresh produce often beats supermarkets, especially in the last 30 minutes when sellers discount remaining stock. See more outdoor savings on our free activities page.

Moderate
zurich: Bürkliplatz market — Tue & Fri mornings; cheaper end-of-market prices around 11:00.
Moderate
geneva: Plainpalais market — Tue, Fri, Sun. Sunday flea market overlaps for second-hand bargains.
Good to know
basel: Marktplatz — Mon to Sat mornings; very fresh, mid-range prices.
Moderate
bern: Bundesplatz market — Tue & Sat mornings. Producer-direct.
Moderate
lausanne: Place de la Riponne — Wed & Sat mornings.
Good to know
lucerne: Helvetiagärtli & Reuss riverside markets — Tue & Sat.

6. Extra tips

Buy seasonal: asparagus in May, berries in June–July, pumpkin Sep–Oct, chestnuts Oct–Nov.
Avoid Migrolino, k kiosk and Coop Pronto — convenience markup is 20–40% over the parent supermarket.
Cross-border shopping (DE/FR/IT) is worth it above ~CHF 150–200 of groceries; respect VAT-free limit (CHF 150 per person/day from 2025).

Frequently asked questions

Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper in Switzerland?

Both are roughly the same price — about 25–40% cheaper than Migros/Coop on staples. Aldi tends to be marginally cheaper on fresh produce; Lidl wins slightly on baked goods and weekly themed offers.

When do supermarkets put 50% off stickers in Switzerland?

1–2 hours before closing. Saturday evening between 16:00 and 17:00 is the richest haul because shops are closed Sunday across most of Switzerland.

Does Too Good To Go work in Switzerland?

Yes — Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne and Lucerne all have hundreds of listings daily. Magic Bags cost CHF 4.90–6.90 for ~CHF 15–20 of food.

Is cross-border grocery shopping worth it?

Above ~CHF 150 of groceries it's usually worth a trip to Lörrach (DE), Annemasse (FR) or Como (IT). Below that, your time and fuel offset the savings. Respect the CHF 150/person/day VAT-free import limit.

Are M-Budget and Prix Garantie good quality?

Yes — they're produced by the same Swiss suppliers as branded equivalents in most categories. Pasta, milk, flour, cleaning products and frozen vegetables are nearly indistinguishable from branded versions.

Build your free moving-to-Switzerland checklist

Combine the savings from this guide with the step-by-step checklist used by 10,000+ new arrivals — registration, insurance, taxes, all in one place.

Open the checklist