Exporting to Switzerland

An attractive and demanding market for high value-added products

The Swiss market

Exporting to Switzerland has great potential, but at the same time can be very demanding. Despite being a small country, its average per capita income is among the highest in the world and its import capacity for high value-added goods and services is very high.

We could think of Switzerland as a dual country in terms of foreign trade relations; on the one hand, it is a market open to international business with trade agreements with many countries and a high volume of imports, and on the other, it is protectionist in some sectors, such as the agri-food sector, which has strict regulations. At the same time, being a market outside the European Union and maintaining the Swiss mark as its currency adds potential difficulties for international trade.

The tertiary sector has a very important weight in the country’s GDP, with banking, insurance and tourism being highly relevant. Trade in raw materials such as oil, metals and minerals is also very dynamic. Industry, despite having less economic weight than in other countries, is of high added value and innovative, with the pharmaceutical, chemical, machinery and metal construction sectors standing out. Agriculture is less important and its weight in the economy is decreasing, although most of the food products consumed in Switzerland are local.

Switzerland is therefore an attractive but complex market, with a high demand for quality and local regulations that require in-depth knowledge in order to be successful internationally.

Key aspects for exporting to Switzerland

High standards and added value

Swiss consumers are very demanding when it comes to quality and business relationships are based on building trust by demonstrating the business efficiency of their business partners. Products and services with potential in the Swiss market must have excellent quality standards, they must provide high added value and companies must demonstrate excellence throughout their value chain.

The Swiss duality: openness and protectionism

There is a certain contradiction in Switzerland with regard to foreign trade. On the one hand, it maintains a policy of openness in international relations, while at the same time it applies protectionist measures, especially in the agri-food sector. These are often strict regulations rather than tariffs, but they also make exports more difficult and expensive, especially in the case of meat products.

The Swiss trade balance

The Swiss trade balance is positive, with exports exceeding imports. Machinery and equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, watches and textiles are the most exported products from Switzerland to other countries.

The main imports are concentrated in raw materials and minerals such as oil, gold and precious stones, as well as agricultural products that are not produced in Switzerland, such as coffee and bananas. Renewable energies are gaining a strong presence in the country, which may be of interest to highly developed markets such as Spain.

Switzerland has extensive free trade agreements with other countries, most notably with the European Union and China. Switzerland’s main trading partners are Germany, the United States, Italy and France. Spain’s exports to Switzerland have been on an upward trend in recent years, although it is not among its main trading partners.

The Swiss business personality

In order to be successful in exporting to Switzerland, it is useful to know some aspects of Swiss personality and etiquette:

Switzerland has 4 official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. German is predominant in business and English is very common. It is appreciated by the Swiss to know one of the local languages.
Switzerland is characterised by a business culture of order and planning. Punctuality is very important and it is even advisable to arrive 5 minutes early for a meeting as a sign of politeness. Even a minute’s delay is considered disrespectful.
Business meetings in Switzerland are more frequent than in Spain and are usually short. It is essential to communicate effectively and be concise. Negotiations must be clear and precise in each of their points.
Decisions are not usually taken at the first business meetings and it usually takes several meetings to close business deals. Patience and perseverance are very necessary to reach a successful conclusion. When we manage to close business deals in Switzerland, the relationship between companies is usually stable and long-lasting.
The Swiss are quite reserved and will never mix the personal with the professional. They will always greet each other with a handshake.
At meetings, it is preferable to wear conservative clothing. They should wear a suit and tie. For women, suits and professional but elegant clothes are preferable.
They attach great importance to quality issues and compliance with international standards. They also place great value on socially and environmentally conscious products.
Closing deals with Swiss customers can be a challenge, there seems to be no room for error and everything must work precisely. Business etiquette values punctuality and effectiveness in presenting proposals at meetings.
It is essential to draw up an appropriate strategy for exporting to Switzerland, offering a high quality product with added value that differentiates you from your competitors and projecting an image of professionalism and trust.

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Interested in this market? Contact with us

At Barcelona Export we know the market in depth and we can help you to export your products or services to Switzerland. We will help you to move around the Swiss market with ease and to negotiate with the clients that best suit you. It’s time to discover all the opportunities available to you. Contact us for information and advice.