Switzerland (CH)
Switzerland is a landlocked federal republic of 26 cantons at the heart of Europe, bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
Consumer Rights
Right of withdrawal, contracts and debt collection in Switzerland.
Consumer protection in Switzerland is codified in the Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UWG/LCD), the Consumer Credit Act (KKG/LCC), the Federal Act on Product Safety (PrSG), and various provisions in the Code of Obligations. Switzerland is NOT in the EU, so EU consumer-protection directives (like the 14-day online-purchase withdrawal right) do NOT directly apply. This surprises many expats: there is NO general 14-day "cooling-off" right for normal online or in-store purchases in Switzerland. Cooling-off exists only for narrow categories: doorstep sales, telephone sales, consumer-credit contracts, and timeshare. Quality is high, product-safety enforcement serious, fraud against consumers is moderately combatted — but if you sign a contract or pay for something, you generally own the outcome. Read terms carefully; Swiss legal tradition respects contract sanctity (pacta sunt servanda).
Right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht)
14-day withdrawal right (Widerrufsrecht / droit de révocation, OR Art. 40a–40f) applies ONLY to: (1) doorstep sales (at home, workplace, or public transport), (2) unsolicited telephone sales, (3) consumer-credit contracts (KKG Art. 16). It does NOT apply to: normal online purchases, in-store purchases, mail-order, contracts concluded by your own initiative (even via phone). Many large Swiss retailers (Galaxus, Digitec, Migros online, Coop online, Zalando.ch) voluntarily offer 30-day return policies — check each store's specific terms. Defective goods: 2-year statutory warranty (Gewährleistung / garantie légale, OR Art. 210) — seller must repair, replace, refund, or reduce price. Consumer-electronic warranty claims can be raised with the SELLER, not just the manufacturer.
Contract cancellation
Contract terms (telecoms, gym, streaming, magazines, insurance) typically have 12-month default commitments with auto-renewal unless cancelled 1–3 months before expiry. Cancellation must be by registered letter (Einschreiben / recommandé) or, since 2022, by email if the provider accepts it. Swiss courts strictly enforce auto-renewal — miss the deadline = full renewal binding. A "special termination right" (ausserordentliches Kündigungsrecht) exists for material changes: if provider raises prices or changes terms, you have 30 days to cancel upon notice. Mobile phone contracts post-2022: maximum initial commitment 12 months, then monthly termination with 30-day notice.
Swiss contract law permits Verlängerungsklauseln (auto-renewal clauses) largely without restriction for B2C — they must be disclosed in the general terms. Exception: after 2023 legislative reform, auto-renewal clauses must be "prominent and understandable" in writing. Contracts auto-renewing for more than 1 year can be challenged as abusive. Gym contracts, magazine subscriptions, and "free trial → paid" conversions are common traps — always diary the cancellation date into your calendar the day you sign up.
Debt collection — response deadlines
Informal reminders: Creditor may send 1–3 "Zahlungserinnerung" or "Mahnung" / "rappel" / "sollecito" — no legal weight unless contractually agreed. Usually with a 10–30 day deadline and reminder fee CHF 15–40.
Court order: Formal debt enforcement: creditor files a "Betreibungsbegehren" / "réquisition de poursuite" with the local Betreibungsamt (debt-enforcement office / office des poursuites) — CHF 20–100 filing fee borne by creditor but added to debtor debt. Office sends a Zahlungsbefehl (payment order / commandement de payer) to debtor by registered post or in-person service. Debtor has 20 days to either (a) pay, (b) file Rechtsvorschlag (legal objection) within 10 days of receipt — free and no justification required. Objection stops all proceedings until creditor sues in court to have objection lifted. Failure to pay or object: creditor can proceed to Pfändung (wage/asset seizure) via the office.
Response deadline: 10 calendar days from receipt of the Zahlungsbefehl to file Rechtsvorschlag (legal objection) at the Betreibungsamt. 20 days to make payment. MOST IMPORTANT deadline in Swiss consumer law — missing the 10-day objection window forfeits your defence and leads to enforceable debt on the Betreibungsregister.
Consumer protection authority
Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz (SKS — Swiss Consumer Protection Foundation, konsumentenschutz.ch) — general consumer advocacy, member-based legal advice, contract reviews, product recalls. Konsumentenforum kf (konsum.ch) — member-based, strong on quality and pricing. Fédération Romande des Consommateurs (FRC, frc.ch) — French-speaking equivalent. Federal Consumer Bureau (BFK / BFC — Bundesamt für Konsumentenfragen) oversees policy at federal level. Cantonal consumer offices offer free legal information.
Unfair commercial practices: SECO-Kommission für Konsumentenangelegenheiten (seco.admin.ch). Price complaints: Preisüberwacher (preisueberwacher.admin.ch). Telecom/service disputes: Ombudsman OmbudsCom (ombudscom.ch — free for consumers). Banking disputes: Swiss Banking Ombudsman (bankingombudsman.ch — free). Insurance disputes: Ombudsman of Private Insurance (ombudsman-assurance.ch). Food safety: your cantonal Kantonales Labor / laboratoire cantonal. Defective products: consumer.admin.ch federal register; serious product safety: BAG (Federal Office of Public Health). Small Claims: cantonal Friedensrichter / Juge de paix (JP) for claims under CHF 30,000 — free conciliation; most cases settle here.