Switzerland Grocery Store Guide | Coop & Migros Tour with Prices | Must-Try Swiss Foods & Drinks

Switzerland Grocery Store Guide | Coop & Migros Tour with Prices | Must-Try Swiss Foods & Drinks

We don’t know about you, but one of our favorite 
things to do on vacation is to visit the grocery store. Does that sound strange? Maybe. But it’s 
a great way to try local foods and drinks and to save some money if you don’t want to eat 
out in restaurants for every meal. Today, we’re giving you a mini crash course on 
the popular grocery stores in Switzerland, local food and drinks to try, and what you 
can expect to spend on a typical picnic food or takeout meal. If we haven’t met, we are 
Jana and Brett, Aplins in the Alps, and we help you travel Switzerland with confidence. And that 
includes today’s topic of Swiss grocery stores. So let’s jump right in with our biggest piece of 
advice. If you’re trying not to break the bank, then we recommend eating breakfast at 
your lodging, then eating out for one of your meals each day and grabbing the 
other meal from the grocery store. No, you don’t have to cook while you’re on vacation 
because there are some great takeaway options and convenient picnic foods at the Swiss grocery 
stores, which will show you more later. Let’s chat about the two most popular stores, 
Coop and Migros. Now, you usually see some kind of small grocery store in the train 
station with a lot of on the go convenient food and drinks. But usually you’ll find 
a Coop and Migros just a few blocks away from the station or in the touristy centers 
of town. And these are much bigger stores. Before we go even further, I 
know what you’re already going to comment on how it is pronounced “Cope” 
and “Me-grow.” That’s just how the locals say it. Although on our first trip here, 
we definitely said “Co-op” and “Me-gross.” Other grocery stores in Switzerland include 
a Volg, Lidl, Aldi, Denner and Spar, and all of those tend to be cheaper than 
Coop or Migros. So if you’re on a budget and happen to see one of those stores 
nearby, they’re worth popping into. Also, many, but not all of the grocery stores are 
closed on Sundays. However, the ones inside the train station should be open on Sundays, so 
no worries. If you’re traveling on a weekend. As a tourist, you’re likely going 
into the grocery store when you’re hungry. And good thing that the takeaway food 
is usually right in the front. Of course, they have sandwiches and salads, but also pasta, 
lentils, couscous, veggies, fruits, and more. And sometimes there’s even a hot food area with 
things like pizza, chicken, and cheese pies. All right, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m 
going to grab some items from Migros and show you the price. Brett’s going to grab the same items 
from Coop and also show you the price so you can compare similar items at both stores. By the way, 
we’re going to grab the cheapest items available, which are still a good quality, but just 
know that if you want even better quality, there are pretty much always 
more expensive options available. When we need something quick on the go, 
we usually grab a salami or ham sandwich, a berry smoothie, and a bag of 
chips. Sometimes in the summer we want something more refreshing. So we 
grab a chicken salad, a fresh fruit cup, and a Vitamin Water. Don’t forget that sometimes 
you have to pay extra for salad dressing! And if we’re riding a train or going 
somewhere, we can sit down to eat, we grab the couscous salad, lentil 
salad, and potato salad to share. By the way, you often have to buy your 
silverware, but it’s just about 10 cents. We either recommend bringing, like, camping 
silverware with you or just buying this one, washing it, reusing it, and keeping it in 
your backpack like we do. You also have to buy grocery bags. They’re also just 5 or 
10 cents a piece, so you can buy them once and then keep using it or do what we do and 
just put stuff straight into your backpack. Now it’s time for a little grocery store tour. 
I’m still in Migros because this is the store I actually prefer to shop in. And Brett’s 
still going to show you comparable items and prices from Coop. First up is the produce 
section. But usually when we’re traveling, we just buy the conveniently precut and 
pre-washed produce from the to-go section. However, if you are shopping for fresh produce, 
this is super important: you have to weigh the produce by yourself before checkout. I know 
in the US they weigh it for you when they’re scanning your items, but here you have to weigh 
it yourself before you go to the checkout. First, pick a product. You can put it 
in a bag if you have multiple items. Then find the number on the label. Walk 
to the scale, place the items on top, and then type in that number. The machine 
will print out a sticker which you put on your item or bag, and this is what 
will be scanned during checkout. Next up is bread. We personally love that there’s 
such a huge selection of fresh bread to choose from and honestly, it is all delicious. 
But we personally love the butter zopf, which is super Swiss, and the Alpine 
bread is really good too. We’re not gluten free, but there is usually a 
gluten-free bread section as well. Next is the breakfast area. Of course, 
they have cereal and oatmeal and granola, but if you’re looking for something traditionally 
Swiss, drop some bircher muesli into your basket. Next is the dairy section. And as you can imagine, 
Swiss grocery stores have aisles upon aisles upon aisles of cheese and yogurt and milk and eggs. 
It has been so fun for us to try a different kind of cheese every single week. And so far, 
our favorites are all of the aged bergkase, which means mountain cheese, but Emmental, Gruyere 
and Tilzsiter are also really popular options. And if your Airbnb happens to 
have a fondue or raclette machine, you can buy that kind of cheese here too, 
for way less than you’d pay in a restaurant. By the way, before we go any further, I wanted to mention that sometimes you’ll see the word 
“aktion” on products or a sign like this. That just means they’re either discounted on sale or 
bundled together so you get an even better deal. As for yogurt, they have the normal stuff 
as well as some really unique flavors, like my personal favorite elderberry 
flower. And this might honestly be the creamiest yogurt you have ever 
tasted and your entire life. It is so good! Most of these single serves cost 
around 1 CHF, depending on the brand. Next is eggs, and you might be surprised to 
see that they are not refrigerated. That’s because they are not sterilized. And you 
do need to wash them before you use them. But the prices of eggs can vary dramatically. 
The cheapest ones are usually imported. But if you opt for Swiss eggs or even organic eggs, 
the price is a lot more expensive. However, as you can imagine, the quality and 
the egg yolk color is so much better. Like eggs, some of the milk isn’t 
refrigerated either. That’s just because it’s somehow processed differently. 
But don’t worry, it still tastes like normal milk. You can usually pick between a carton 
and a bottle, and we just prefer the bottle because it’s easier to pour. And naturally 
they have lots of milk alternatives as well. And if you haven’t noticed, this little 
ladybug means that the product is Swiss, and the Swiss are very loyal to their farmers, 
so you will see a lot of ladybugs throughout the store. By the way, if you see the word 
“bio” on a product, it means it’s organic. Next is the meat department, and I am super 
curious to read all of your comments about this because meat is consistently the most expensive 
item on our grocery list every week. But as a tourist, you’re likely not going to be buying meat 
on your vacation unless maybe you’re grilling out. Don’t skip the cervelet, which are like the 
most popular Swiss sausages for grilling. We also like to buy the landjager dried sausages for 
hiking. But if you’re looking to make something with chicken breast or ground beef or pork chops, 
you’ll probably be surprised by these high prices. Like most grocery stores, they have canned foods, 
ethnic foods and frozen foods, but we’re sticking with what you’re most interested in as a 
tourist, so let’s head to the snack aisle. If you’re curious to try some typical Swiss 
snacks, son’t skip this Zwifel potato chips, Ovalmaltine, which is like 
a crunchy Nutella spread, and granola bars. We pretty much have all 
three of these in our pantry most of the time! Usually the chocolate aisle is near 
the snack aisle. As you can imagine, there are endless choices and types and brands. 
We particularly like Ragusa, Torino, and Lindt. By the way, our friends and family think Swiss 
chocolate is a great gift, so we always stock up on a bunch of bars before we go home to visit. And 
it is always cheaper to buy here from the grocery store compared to a tourist shop, especially if 
you can find something on “aktion” or on sale. Next, notice that Migros does not sell alcohol 
— these are all alcohol-free versions — but most other stores do. Brett likes Appenzeller, 
Rugenbräu, and Eichhof beers, but you’ll often find more regional and local options depending 
on where you visit. And some of the best Swiss wines are whites and roses from the Valais 
or from the Lavaux regions of Switzerland. Rivella is the most popular Swiss soda 
you should try — and I won’t tell you what it’s made out of. And sirups are great too. 
They’re basically a juice concentrate that you dilute with bubbly water. And speaking 
of water, do not buy regular water from the grocery store! Because it’s basically 
just as good straight out of the tap! You can also pick up some basics like shampoo and 
toothpaste, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, diapers, and formula here, too. But when the 
grocery store just won’t cut it, watch this next to see some of our favorite foodie spots across 
the country. Or check out our Swiss itineraries, which are chock full of our top restaurant 
recommendations. And we’ll see you in Switzerland!

Curious about Swiss grocery stores? Here are the 2 most popular grocery stores in Switzerland and what you should (and shouldn’t!) buy there as a tourist!

Psst — we mention other Swiss grocery stores too, especially if you’re traveling Switzerland on a budget!

If we haven’t met, we’re Jana and Brett, Aplins in the Alps, and our goal is to help you _travel Switzerland with confidence!_ And that includes things like today’s topic of Swiss grocery stores.
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// ABOUT THIS VIDEO //

Let’s jump right into the topic of Swiss grocery stores with our number 1 piece of advice!

*OUR TOP PIECE OF ADVICE*
Eat breakfast at your hotel/airbnb, then eat out for only one meal per day, and grab the other meal from the grocery store.

No, you don’t have to cook while you’re on vacation 🙂 because there are some great take-away options and convenient picnic foods from Swiss grocery stores.

*GROCERY STORES IN SWITZERLAND*
Coop and Migros are the most popular. Press play to discover WHERE they are and WHEN they’re open!

We also mention 5 other grocery stores that you’ll find here, perfect if you’re traveling Switzerland on a budget!

*TAKE OUT FOOD FROM SWISS GROCERY STORES*
As a tourist, you’re out and about all day and you’re probably going into the grocery store when you’re hungry. Good thing the take-away food is usually right in the front of the store!

We show you our favorite take-away options from Migros and Coop, and list all of the prices too!

(By the way, we picked the cheapest options, but of course you can always pay more for a better brand if you’d like!)

Don’t skip this video, because we explain what’s up with the salad dressing, where to find silverware, and how much grocery bags cost.

*GROCERY STORE TOURS*
Keep watching to see a preview of Coop and Migros! We walk you through each section of the store and explain tips along the way — like how to weigh/price your produce, identify items on sale, find Swiss products, and even our favorite product recommendations (hint: Swiss chocolate included!).

*GROCERY SHOPPING IN SWITZERLAND*
Whether you’re just popping in for picnic food or cooking an entire meal, we hope this preview helps you get a feel for Swiss grocery stores and prices.

*MORE SWISS FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS*
But when the grocery store just won’t cut it, _shop our Switzerland Itineraries_ for our top restaurant recommendations. And we’ll see you in Switzerland!
➡️https://www.aplinsinthealps.com/guides/

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// WATCH NEXT //

PLAYLIST: Swiss Food + Drinks | What + Where to Eat in Switzerland
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Photo Credit: ©ALDI SUISSE, ©Coop, ©Migros
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