5 can put no money or no more than 500 francs away at the end of the month. For four out of 10 families, high living costs are even a reason not to have more children. One or both parents in around half the families surveyed are considering working longer hours. Doing so is worth it in many cases – but not if the children need day care. This is because the high cost of preschool and child care in Switzerland compared to other countries can potentially eat up any additional earnings. Soaring health insurance premiums, rising rents, higher energy costs, and the general increase in living expenses are placing a strain on budgets. There is growing anger about this, says Switzerland’s official price watchdog Stefan Meierhans, who has received a record number of complaints in the last two years. He counted 2,775 messages in 2023 – including from people who can no longer afford to pay their bills. “There are growing fears of general financial insecurity,” Meierhans said at his annual press conference this spring. Price rises are the new normal It is the job of the price watchdog to tackle rip-off prices, particularly in areas where there is a lack of competition. Last year, for example, Meierhans intervened on the issue of public transport ticket prices. People with a 2nd class GA Travelcard consequently ended up paying less than what the Swiss public transport sector wanted to charge. Instead of a whopping 4,080 francs, the 2nd class GA Travelcard will now “only” cost 3,995 francs – 135 francs more than before. Despite this, public transport ticket prices have still risen by around four per cent. Price watchdog Stefan Meierhans can see that people are struggling. He is receiving more and more complaints from concerned citizens. Cartoon: Max Spring Swiss Review / May 2024 / No.3
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