Hi! I've been following the #buyeuropean movement since about a year and amidst current political events I felt the need to deepen my engagement. All existing lists and guides have been a great resource but I still felt like they didn't have an impact big enough on my consumer habits. This is why I did some research on everyday products in my local supermarkets for us people in Switzerland.
The following lists have been created with the goal to endorse products and alternatives that are as local as possible and belong to companies that are somewhat established but without a horrendous reputation. This is why Nestlé is in the avoid section but if you don't care much about that you can see them as alternatives instead.
Keep in mind that this is a list written by me, a single person, so it's likely to be influenced by my consumer habits, my lifestyle, my location etc. If anyone has more recommendations or finds something was ill-researched, you're most welcome to contribute. I might edit this list later on myself.
To the list:
- The company in Brackets is the manufacturer or - if owned externally - the parent company of the manufacturer. For research I've been looking up predominantly Wikipedia or the brands official page.
- To almost every product there are store brand alternatives like M-Classic and M-Budget (Migros), naturaplan, fine food, Karma and Prix Garantie (Coop) and others (Denner, Lidl, Aldi, etc.) which I didn't bother to list everywhere. But those are good alternatives most of the time, so don't forget about them!
Food
Dairy
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Fresh Cheese | Philadelphia (Mondelez 🇺🇸) | Filona (Züger Frischkäse 🇨🇭)Cantadou (Bel Group 🇫🇷)Tartare (Savencia 🇫🇷) |
| Yoghurt | Hirz (Nestlé 🇨🇭)LC1 (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Emmi 🇨🇭Activia (Danone 🇫🇷) |
Frozen section
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Frozen Snacks | Buitoni (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Dr. Oetker 🇩🇪Findus (Nomad Foods 🇬🇧)Kern & Sammet 🇨🇭 |
| Ice Cream | Ben&Jerry's 🇺🇸 (Unilever 🇬🇧)Extrême (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Frisco (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Häagen-Dazs (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Mövenpick (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Maxibon / Rakete / Pralinato (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Creme d'Or (Migros 🇨🇭)Gasparini 🇨🇭Kalte Lust 🇨🇭Emmi 🇨🇭 |
Grains
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Mexican inspired | Old El Paso (General Mills 🇺🇸)Pancho Villa (General Mills 🇺🇸) | Store brandsFiesta del Sol (Migros 🇨🇭) |
| Rice | Ben's Original (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸) | Store brandsTom's Best (Coop 🇨🇭)Mister Rice (Migros 🇨🇭) |
Sauces
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Sauces | Heinz 🇺🇸Thomy (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Maggi (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Store brandsHugo 🇨🇭 |
Breakfast
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Cereals | Kelloggs (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Cini Minis / Lion Cereals / Cookie Crisp (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Familia 🇨🇭Farmer (Migros🇨🇭)Country (Coop 🇨🇭)Alnatura 🇩🇪 |
| Chocolate Spreads | De Rujiter (Mondelez 🇺🇸) | Lindt 🇨🇭Ovomaltine 🇨🇭 (Associated British Foods 🇬🇧)Caotina 🇨🇭 (Associated British Foods 🇬🇧)Nutella (Ferrero 🇮🇹)Nocciolata (Rigoni di Asiago 🇮🇹) |
Snacks
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Salty snacks | Pringles (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Doritos (PepsiCo 🇺🇸)Pancho Villa (General Mills 🇺🇸)TUC (Mondelez 🇺🇸)Lay's (Pepsico 🇺🇸) | Zweifel 🇨🇭Farm Chips 🇨🇭 (Migros)Tyrrells 🇬🇧 |
| Chocolate | Toblerone (Mondelez 🇺🇸)Cailler (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Smarties (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Kitkat (Nestlé 🇨🇭)M&Ms (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Malteser (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Twix / Snickers / Mars / Milky Ways / Bounty (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Reese's (Hershey 🇺🇸)Balisto (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Mikado (Mondelez 🇺🇸)Milka (Mondelez 🇺🇸) | Lindt 🇨🇭Ragusa (Camille Bloch🇨🇭)Torino (Camille Bloch🇨🇭)Frey (Migros🇨🇭)Kägi 🇨🇭Halba 🇨🇭Ovomaltine 🇨🇭 (Associated British Foods 🇬🇧)Kinder (Ferrero 🇮🇹)Toffifee (August Storck 🇩🇪)Knoppers (August Storck 🇩🇪) |
| Cookies | Oreo (Mondelez 🇺🇸) | Kambly 🇨🇭Wernli 🇨🇭 |
| Sweets | Sugus (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Skittles (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸) | Trolli 🇩🇪Haribo 🇩🇪Nimm 2 (August Storck 🇩🇪) |
| Chewing gum / Mints | Hubba Bubba (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Airwaves (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸) | Ricola 🇨🇭Stimorol (Perfetti van Melle 🇮🇹🇳🇱)Mentos (Perfetti van Melle 🇮🇹🇳🇱)Fisherman's Friend 🇬🇧Tictac (Ferrero 🇮🇹) |
Beverages
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Alcohol | Jack Daniels 🇺🇸Jim Beam Bourbon 🇺🇸Woodford Reserve 🇺🇸Budweiser 🇺🇸 | I don't drink much alcohol, suggestions welcome |
| Soft Drinks | Pepsi (PepsiCo 🇺🇸)Gatorade (PepsiCo 🇺🇸)7-up (PepsiCo 🇺🇸)Dr Pepper (PepsiCo 🇺🇸)Capri-Sun (Mondelez 🇺🇸)Oasis (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Coca-Cola / Fanta / Sprite (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Fuzetea/Fusetea (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Mezzo-Mix (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Powerade (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Schweppes (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)Monster Energy 🇺🇸Arizona 🇺🇸Nestea (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Ramseier 🇨🇭Sinalco 🇨🇭Rivella 🇨🇭Elmer 🇨🇭El Tony Mate (intelligentfood 🇨🇭)Migros Ice Tea (Migros 🇨🇭)Focus Water (Rivella 🇨🇭)Sirup (Migros 🇨🇭)Pepita (Mineralquelle Eptingen 🇨🇭)Flauder (Goba 🇨🇭)Farmer (Adelbodner 🇨🇭)Red Bull 🇦🇹Volvic (Danone 🇫🇷)Vitamin Well 🇸🇪Isostar (Associated British Foods 🇬🇧) |
| Water | Valser (Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸)S. Pellegrino (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Henniez (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Vittel (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | tap-water duhKnutwiler 🇨🇭Rhäzünser (Feldschlösschen 🇨🇭)Adelbodner 🇨🇭Aproz (Migros 🇨🇭)Swiss Alpina (Coop 🇨🇭)Evian (Danone 🇫🇷) |
| Coffee | Nescafé (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Nespresso (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Starbucks 🇺🇸 | Hochstrasser 🇨🇭Bertschi 🇨🇭Henauer 🇨🇭Vicafe 🇨🇭Chicco D'Oro 🇨🇭CoffeeB 🇨🇭Delizio 🇨🇭Lavazza 🇮🇹L'Or (Jacobs Douwe Egberts 🇳🇱)Tchibo 🇩🇪 |
| Fruit Juice | Innocent (>90% Coca-Cola Co. 🇺🇸) | Sun Queen (Migros 🇨🇭)Biotta (Orior 🇨🇭)Anna's Best (Migros 🇨🇭)Sluups (Fresh Drink 🇨🇭)Andros 🇫🇷Granini (Eckes-Granini 🇩🇪)Alnatura 🇩🇪True Fruits 🇩🇪Hohes C (Eckes-Granini 🇩🇪) |
Non-food
Household
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Laundry detergents | Ariel (P&G 🇺🇸)Lenor (P&G 🇺🇸)Febreze (P&G 🇺🇸) | Held 🇨🇭Total (Migros 🇨🇭)Elan (Migros 🇨🇭)Washo 🇨🇭Persil / Perwoll (Henkel 🇩🇪)Frosch (Werne & Mertz 🇩🇪)Omo (Unilever 🇬🇧)Vanish (Reckitt Benckiser 🇬🇧) |
| Cleaning utensils | Swiffer (P&G 🇺🇸)Scotch-Brite (3M 🇺🇸)Scrub Daddy 🇺🇸 | Creaclean 🇨🇭Twist (Migros 🇨🇭)Flup (Coop 🇨🇭)Leifheit 🇩🇪Vileda (Freudenberg 🇩🇪) |
| Cleaning | Ajax (Colgate-Palmolive 🇺🇸) | Durgol 🇨🇭Potz (Migros 🇨🇭)Cif (Unilever 🇬🇧)Cillit Bang (Reckitt Benckiser 🇬🇧)Attitude 🇨🇦Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser 🇬🇧)Frosch (Werne & Mertz 🇩🇪) |
| Soap | Palmolive (Colgate-Palmolive 🇺🇸)Le Petit Marseillais (Kenvue 🇺🇸) | Method (Held 🇨🇭)I am (Migros 🇨🇭)pH-Balance (Migros 🇨🇭)Well (Coop 🇨🇭)Nivea (Beiersdorf 🇩🇪)Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser 🇬🇧) |
Drugstore
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Dental hygiene | Colgate (Colgate-Palmolive 🇺🇸)Elmex (Colgate-Palmolive 🇺🇸)Oral-B (P&G 🇺🇸)Listerine (Kenvue 🇺🇸)Meridol (Colgate-Palmolive 🇺🇸) | Curaprox 🇨🇭Dentamed (Coop 🇨🇭)Candida (Migros 🇨🇭)Trisa 🇨🇭Odol (Haleon 🇬🇧)Parodontax (Haleon 🇬🇧)Sensodyne (Haleon 🇬🇧)Philips 🇳🇱Signal (Unilever 🇬🇧) |
| Shaving | Gillette (P&G 🇺🇸) | Wilkinson Sword 🇬🇧Well (Coop 🇨🇭)Bic 🇬🇧 |
| Intimate hygiene | Always (P&G 🇺🇸)Tampax (P&G 🇺🇸)Carefree (Johnson & Johnson 🇺🇸) | Molfina (Migros 🇨🇭)o.b. 🇩🇪Cosmea (Pelz Group 🇩🇪)Duchesse (Müller 🇩🇪)Tena (Essity 🇸🇪) |
| Haircare | Head & Shoulders (P&G 🇺🇸)Pantene (P&G 🇺🇸) | Belherbal (Migros 🇨🇭)Well (Coop 🇨🇭)Rausch 🇨🇭Garnier (L'Oréal 🇫🇷)Elsève (L'Oréal 🇫🇷)Schwarzkopf (Henkel 🇩🇪)Syoss (Henkel 🇩🇪) |
| Skincare | Neutrogena (Kenvue 🇺🇸)Le Petit Marseillais (Kenvue 🇺🇸) | Weleda 🇨🇭pH-Balance (Migros 🇨🇭)Kneipp 🇨🇭Nivea (Beiersdorf 🇩🇪)Eucerin (Beiersdorf 🇩🇪)CeraVe (L'Oréal 🇫🇷)La Roche Posay (L'Oréal 🇫🇷) |
| Tissues | Kleenex (Kimberly-Clark 🇺🇸) | Linsoft (Migros 🇨🇭)Well (Coop 🇨🇭)Tempo (Essity 🇸🇪) |
| Lip balms | Burts Bees (Clorox 🇺🇸) | Labello (Beiersdorf 🇩🇪)Vaseline (Unilever 🇬🇧) |
| Makeup | NYX 🇺🇸 (L'Oréal 🇫🇷)Maybelline 🇺🇸 (L'Oréal 🇫🇷) | L'Oréal Paris 🇫🇷 |
Pets
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Pet food | Whiskas (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Sheba (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Cesar (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Dreamies (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Pedigree (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Exelcat (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Perfect Fit (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸)Edgar-Cooper (General Mills 🇺🇸)Purina (Nestlé 🇨🇭)Friskies (Nestlé 🇨🇭) | Delibest (Delipet 🇨🇭)Vitakraft 🇨🇭Lily's Kitchen 🇬🇧 |
| Other stuff | Catsan (Mars Inc. 🇺🇸) | Optipet (Martec Handels 🇨🇭) |
Some extras
There is still so much left to look into - clothing, outdoor, kitchen ware, cars, traveling, etc. - but because my time is limited and this post is already getting pretty long here are just a few more addings I felt strongly about.
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
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| Payment | Visa 🇺🇸Mastercard 🇺🇸American Express 🇺🇸 | Twint 🇨🇭 (wherever possible)Auf Rechnung |
| Second hand buying / selling | Facebook Marketplace | Ricardo 🇨🇭Tutti 🇨🇭Marko 🇨🇭 |
| Streaming | Netflix 🇺🇸Amazon Prime 🇺🇸Disney Plus 🇺🇸etc. | playsuisse.ch 🇨🇭SRF 🇨🇭filmfriend.ch 🇨🇭cinu.ch 🇨🇭Arte.tv 🇫🇷🇩🇪Your local cinemaYour local libraryThe high seas 🏴☠️ |
If you got this far thank you for scrolling through and I hope this helped someone in their endeavour. My eyes have certainly been opened regarding some brands I never questioned or believed to be very Swiss.
Edit: I just noticed on some Lemmy clients the <br> doesn't work. Sorry about that.
