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 Nestlรฉ 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!
Edit: I just noticed on some Lemmy clients the <br> doesn't work. Sorry about that. You can view the correctly formatted post here (blorpblorp).
Food
Dairy
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Fresh Cheese | Philadelphia (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ) | Filona (Zรผger Frischkรคse ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Cantadou (Bel Group ๐ซ๐ท)<br>Tartare (Savencia ๐ซ๐ท) |
|---|
| Yoghurt | Hirz (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>LC1 (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Emmi ๐จ๐ญ<br>Activia (Danone ๐ซ๐ท) |
|---|
Frozen section
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Frozen Snacks | Buitoni (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Dr. Oetker ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Findus (Nomad Foods ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Kern & Sammet ๐จ๐ญ |
|---|
| Ice Cream | Extrรชme (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Frisco (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Hรคagen-Dazs (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Mรถvenpick (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Maxibon / Rakete / Pralinato (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>(Ben&Jerry's ๐บ๐ธ (Unilever ๐ฌ๐ง)) | Creme d'Or (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Gasparini ๐จ๐ญ<br>Kalte Lust ๐จ๐ญ<br>Emmi ๐จ๐ญ |
|---|
Grains
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Mexican inspired | Old El Paso (General Mills ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Pancho Villa (General Mills ๐บ๐ธ) | Store brands<br>Fiesta del Sol (Migros ๐จ๐ญ) |
|---|
| Rice | Ben's Original (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ) | Store brands<br>Tom's Best (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Mister Rice (Migros ๐จ๐ญ) |
|---|
Sauces
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Sauces | Heinz ๐บ๐ธ<br>Thomy (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Maggi (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Store brands<br>Hugo ๐จ๐ญ |
|---|
Breakfast
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Cereals | Kelloggs (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Cini Minis / Lion Cereals / Cookie Crisp (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Familia ๐จ๐ญ<br>Farmer (Migros๐จ๐ญ)<br>Country (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Alnatura ๐ฉ๐ช |
|---|
| Chocolate Spreads | De Rujiter (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ) | Lindt ๐จ๐ญ<br>Ovomaltine ๐จ๐ญ (Associated British Foods ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Caotina ๐จ๐ญ (Associated British Foods ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Nutella (Ferrero ๐ฎ๐น)<br>Nocciolata (Rigoni di Asiago ๐ฎ๐น) |
|---|
Snacks
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Salty snacks | Pringles (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Doritos (PepsiCo ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Pancho Villa (General Mills ๐บ๐ธ)<br>TUC (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Lay's (Pepsico ๐บ๐ธ) | Zweifel ๐จ๐ญ<br>Farm Chips ๐จ๐ญ (Migros)<br>Tyrrells ๐ฌ๐ง |
|---|
| Chocolate | Toblerone (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Cailler (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Smarties (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Kitkat (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>M&Ms (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Malteser (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Twix / Snickers / Mars / Milky Ways / Bounty (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Reese's (Hershey ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Balisto (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Mikado (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Milka (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ) | Lindt ๐จ๐ญ<br>Ragusa (Camille Bloch๐จ๐ญ)<br>Torino (Camille Bloch๐จ๐ญ)<br>Frey (Migros๐จ๐ญ)<br>Kรคgi ๐จ๐ญ<br>Halba ๐จ๐ญ<br>Ovomaltine ๐จ๐ญ (Associated British Foods ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Kinder (Ferrero ๐ฎ๐น)<br>Toffifee (August Storck ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Knoppers (August Storck ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
| Cookies | Oreo (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ) | Kambly ๐จ๐ญ<br>Wernli ๐จ๐ญ |
|---|
| Sweets | Sugus (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Skittles (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ) | Trolli ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Haribo ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Nimm 2 (August Storck ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
| Chewing gum / Mints | Hubba Bubba (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Airwaves (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ) | Ricola ๐จ๐ญ<br>Stimorol (Perfetti van Melle ๐ฎ๐น๐ณ๐ฑ)<br>Mentos (Perfetti van Melle ๐ฎ๐น๐ณ๐ฑ)<br>Fisherman's Friend ๐ฌ๐ง<br>Tictac (Ferrero ๐ฎ๐น) |
|---|
Beverages
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Alcohol | Jack Daniels ๐บ๐ธ<br>Jim Beam Bourbon ๐บ๐ธ<br>Woodford Reserve ๐บ๐ธ<br>Budweiser ๐บ๐ธ | I don't drink much alcohol, suggestions welcome<br>Johnny Walker ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ (Diageo ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
| Soft Drinks | Pepsi (PepsiCo ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Gatorade (PepsiCo ๐บ๐ธ)<br>7-up (PepsiCo ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Dr Pepper (PepsiCo ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Capri-Sun (Mondelez ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Oasis (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Coca-Cola / Fanta / Sprite (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Fuzetea/Fusetea (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Mezzo-Mix (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Powerade (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Schweppes (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Monster Energy ๐บ๐ธ<br>Arizona ๐บ๐ธ<br>Nestea (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Ramseier ๐จ๐ญ<br>Sinalco ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Rivella ๐จ๐ญ<br>Elmer ๐จ๐ญ<br>El Tony Mate (intelligentfood ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Migros Ice Tea (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Focus Water (Rivella ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Sirup (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Pepita (Mineralquelle Eptingen ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Flauder (Goba ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Farmer (Adelbodner ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Red Bull ๐ฆ๐น<br>Volvic (Danone ๐ซ๐ท)<br>Vitamin Well ๐ธ๐ช<br>Isostar (Associated British Foods ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
| Water | Valser (Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>S. Pellegrino (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Henniez (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Vittel (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | tap-water duh<br>Knutwiler ๐จ๐ญ<br>Rhรคzรผnser (Feldschlรถsschen ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Adelbodner ๐จ๐ญ<br>Aproz (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Swiss Alpina (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Evian (Danone ๐ซ๐ท) |
|---|
| Coffee | Nescafรฉ (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Nespresso (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Starbucks ๐บ๐ธ | Hochstrasser ๐จ๐ญ<br>Bertschi ๐จ๐ญ<br>Henauer ๐จ๐ญ<br>Vicafe ๐จ๐ญ<br>Chicco D'Oro ๐จ๐ญ<br>CoffeeB ๐จ๐ญ<br>Delizio ๐จ๐ญ<br>Lavazza ๐ฎ๐น<br>L'Or (Jacobs Douwe Egberts ๐ณ๐ฑ)<br>Tchibo ๐ฉ๐ช |
|---|
| Fruit Juice | Innocent (>90% Coca-Cola Co. ๐บ๐ธ) | Sun Queen (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Biotta (Orior ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Anna's Best (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Sluups (Fresh Drink ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Andros ๐ซ๐ท<br>Granini (Eckes-Granini ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Alnatura ๐ฉ๐ช<br>True Fruits ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Hohes C (Eckes-Granini ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
Non-food
Household
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Laundry detergents | Ariel (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Lenor (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Febreze (P&G ๐บ๐ธ) | Held ๐จ๐ญ<br>Total (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Elan (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Washo ๐จ๐ญ<br>Persil / Perwoll (Henkel ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Frosch (Werne & Mertz ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Omo (Unilever ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Vanish (Reckitt Benckiser ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
| Cleaning utensils | Swiffer (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Scotch-Brite (3M ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Scrub Daddy ๐บ๐ธ | Creaclean ๐จ๐ญ<br>Twist (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Flup (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Leifheit ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Vileda (Freudenberg ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
| Cleaning | Ajax (Colgate-Palmolive ๐บ๐ธ) | Durgol ๐จ๐ญ<br>Potz (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Cif (Unilever ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Cillit Bang (Reckitt Benckiser ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Attitude ๐จ๐ฆ<br>Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Frosch (Werne & Mertz ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
| Soap | Palmolive (Colgate-Palmolive ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Le Petit Marseillais (Kenvue ๐บ๐ธ) | Method (Held ๐จ๐ญ)<br>I am (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>pH-Balance (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Well (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Nivea (Beiersdorf ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
Drugstore
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Dental hygiene | Colgate (Colgate-Palmolive ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Elmex (Colgate-Palmolive ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Oral-B (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Listerine (Kenvue ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Meridol (Colgate-Palmolive ๐บ๐ธ) | Curaprox ๐จ๐ญ<br>Dentamed (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Candida (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Trisa ๐จ๐ญ<br>Odol (Haleon ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Parodontax (Haleon ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Sensodyne (Haleon ๐ฌ๐ง)<br>Philips ๐ณ๐ฑ<br>Signal (Unilever ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
| Shaving | Gillette (P&G ๐บ๐ธ) | Wilkinson Sword ๐ฌ๐ง<br>Well (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Bic ๐ฌ๐ง |
|---|
| Intimate hygiene | Always (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Tampax (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Carefree (Johnson & Johnson ๐บ๐ธ) | Molfina (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>o.b. ๐ฉ๐ช<br>Cosmea (Pelz Group ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Duchesse (Mรผller ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Tena (Essity ๐ธ๐ช) |
|---|
| Haircare | Head & Shoulders (P&G ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Pantene (P&G ๐บ๐ธ) | Belherbal (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Well (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Rausch ๐จ๐ญ<br>Garnier (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท)<br>Elsรจve (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท)<br>Schwarzkopf (Henkel ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Syoss (Henkel ๐ฉ๐ช) |
|---|
| Skincare | Neutrogena (Kenvue ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Le Petit Marseillais (Kenvue ๐บ๐ธ) | Weleda ๐จ๐ญ<br>pH-Balance (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Kneipp ๐จ๐ญ<br>Nivea (Beiersdorf ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Eucerin (Beiersdorf ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>CeraVe (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท)<br>La Roche Posay (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท) |
|---|
| Tissues | Kleenex (Kimberly-Clark ๐บ๐ธ) | Linsoft (Migros ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Well (Coop ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Tempo (Essity ๐ธ๐ช) |
|---|
| Lip balms | Burts Bees (Clorox ๐บ๐ธ) | Labello (Beiersdorf ๐ฉ๐ช)<br>Vaseline (Unilever ๐ฌ๐ง) |
|---|
| Makeup | NYX ๐บ๐ธ (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท)<br>Maybelline ๐บ๐ธ (L'Orรฉal ๐ซ๐ท) | L'Orรฉal Paris ๐ซ๐ท |
|---|
Pets
| Category | To avoid | Alternative |
|---|
| Pet food | Whiskas (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Sheba (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Cesar (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Dreamies (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Pedigree (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Exelcat (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Perfect Fit (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Edgar-Cooper (General Mills ๐บ๐ธ)<br>Purina (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Friskies (Nestlรฉ ๐จ๐ญ) | Delibest (Delipet ๐จ๐ญ)<br>Vitakraft ๐จ๐ญ<br>Lily's Kitchen ๐ฌ๐ง |
|---|
| Other stuff | Catsan (Mars Inc. ๐บ๐ธ) | Optipet (Martec Handels ๐จ๐ญ) |
|---|
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 |
|---|
| Payment | Visa ๐บ๐ธ<br>Mastercard ๐บ๐ธ<br>American Express ๐บ๐ธ | Twint ๐จ๐ญ (wherever possible)<br>Auf Rechnung |
|---|
| Second hand buying / selling | Facebook Marketplace (Meta ๐บ๐ธ) | Ricardo ๐จ๐ญ<br>Tutti ๐จ๐ญ<br>Marko ๐จ๐ญ |
|---|
| Streaming | Netflix ๐บ๐ธ<br>Amazon Prime ๐บ๐ธ<br>Disney Plus ๐บ๐ธ<br>etc. | playsuisse.ch ๐จ๐ญ<br>SRF ๐จ๐ญ<br>filmfriend.ch ๐จ๐ญ<br>cinu.ch ๐จ๐ญ<br>Arte.tv ๐ซ๐ท๐ฉ๐ช<br>Your local cinema<br>Your local library<br>The high seas ๐ดโโ ๏ธ |
|---|
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.