Despite the war with Iran

Swiss consumers are spending more again

Despite the war in Iran and high oil prices, consumer confidence in Switzerland has improved. People here are spending more money, particularly on leisure and travel. (File photo)

Keystone

War in the Middle East, rising energy prices, and gloomier economic outlooks are doing little to slow Swiss consumers down at the moment. Spending on travel, restaurants, and leisure activities has risen significantly recently.

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12.06.2026, 12:01•12.06.2026, 13:22

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Swiss consumer spending in May was 1.1 percent higher than the previous year.
Spending on leisure, restaurants, and travel rose particularly sharply.
According to Postfinance, while geopolitical crises are weighing on sentiment, they have so far done little to curb consumption.

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Despite the war in Iran and high oil prices, consumer confidence in Switzerland has improved. People here are spending more money, particularly on leisure and travel.

In May, Swiss consumer spending was 1.1 percent higher than in the same month last year, as shown by the Postfinance Consumer Indicator published on Friday. Spending has thus picked up again after a slight dip in the previous month.

“Consumption thus continues to grow solidly, even though geopolitical tensions, higher energy prices, and a weaker economic outlook are noticeably weighing on consumer sentiment,” wrote Postfinance. Most recently, spending on leisure and travel has also risen again—areas where people typically cut back during difficult times.

The Swiss population’s willingness to travel remains strong. Most recently, hotel stays have increased in particular, while spending on rental cars has declined slightly, the report added.

Record Spending on Leisure

Leisure spending rose noticeably in May and even reached a new high. In particular, visits to Swiss restaurants as well as spending on sporting goods and athletic activities increased significantly.

Everyday household spending has also leveled off in recent months at a slightly higher level than in the past, as noted by Postfinance. In particular, spending on groceries increased, while car-related expenses declined slightly.

Spending in the beauty and wellness sector remains stable. Clothing purchases have increased slightly, while health-related spending has declined slightly.

Postfinance compiles the monthly consumer indicator using anonymized transaction data from its approximately 2.4 million customers. The index is considered a leading indicator of consumer trends in Switzerland.