Slight decline in sales at Caritas stores

This helped to ease the burden on customers' household budgets, as the aid organization Caritas announced on Wednesday. In 2024, Caritas markets achieved record sales for the third time in a row. The 23 stores recorded over 1.1 million sales. This corresponds to a slight increase of 2000 sales compared to the previous year. An average of 3600 people shopped at the locations in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland each day.

According to Caritas, the main reason for the increase in sales was inflation. The higher cost of living continues to place a heavy burden on people with limited financial means, it said. The prices of basic foodstuffs such as milk, flour, pasta and olive oil in particular are very high in regular supermarkets. Of the 1,000 items in the Caritas stores' range, ten of these staple foods, together with fruit and vegetables, account for half of sales. The sales volume of fruit and vegetables increased by five percent in 2024 compared to the previous year.

The Caritas market offers people on a tight budget the opportunity to buy food and everyday products at a lower price. This is made possible by the support of producers, suppliers and foundations. People who receive social welfare or supplementary benefits or who have a cultural permit are eligible to shop.