Swiss retail growth hit 2.6% in the first half of 2026

Swiss retail growth stayed on track through the first half of 2026. According to the NIQ Market Monitor, sales came in 2.6% above the previous year’s level, with both major segments contributing. Food/Nearfood rose by 2.5%, while nonfood grew slightly more strongly at 2.7% and provided important momentum for the overall market. Additionally, online shopping continues to be on trend and recorded cumulative growth of more than 11% by the end of June 2026, well ahead of the 2.6% recorded by the total market.

Swiss retail growth at a glance

Indicator	H1 2026
Total retail sales	+2.6% vs. previous year
Food/Nearfood	+2.5%
Nonfood	+2.7%
Online shopping (cumulative)	more than +11%
Consumer sentiment (June 2026, FSO)	-36 points
Inflation (June 2026, year on year)	+0.5%
Cumulative calendar effect (as of June 2026)	-0.2%

Cautious consumers behind the numbers

The positive half-year result was achieved against a subdued backdrop. Consumer sentiment remained low and, according to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), stood at -36 points in June 2026, below the previous year’s level. Inflation rose by 0.5% in June 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier.

Consumers continued to focus on selective, needs-based purchases. Weather also played a role in Swiss retail growth: after a changeable first quarter, the second quarter brought below-average rainfall and above-average hours of sunshine, which supported demand for summer-related categories.

Silke Volejnik, Retail Leader at NielsenIQ Switzerland, notes that the FMCG market proved encouragingly robust in the first half of 2026 despite the weak sentiment, with fresh products, frozen foods, confectionery and snacks providing growth momentum. Shoppers remain conscious in their choices, but are willing to spend selectively on products that are relevant to them.

Food and nearfood: frozen products lead the way

Compared with the first half of the previous year, the food segment as a whole recorded a slight increase in sales. Frozen products performed particularly well and were among the most important growth drivers, while confectionery and snacks also increased and added to the positive development.

Cooking ingredients posted a slight rise in sales, with higher prices offsetting declining volumes. The food category itself developed slightly negatively: falling prices could not be compensated by the slight increase in volumes sold.

Beverages: non-alcoholic drinks drive the segment

The beverages market developed slightly positively overall. Non-alcoholic beverages were the main growth driver, with mineral water and soft drinks showing particularly positive development, while juices declined.

Alcoholic beverages stayed below the previous year’s level and weighed on Swiss retail growth in this segment. Wine showed particularly weak development, and beer was the only alcoholic category to record growth.

Fresh products deliver solid gains

Fresh products recorded solid sales growth. Vegetables, meat products and dairy products performed particularly well, with growth mainly driven by higher sales volumes. Eggs and fruit also made an important contribution to the segment.

Within the meat category, poultry and meat showed strong momentum. Bakery was the only category to record a slight decline.

Nonfood: leisure powers Swiss retail growth

Nonfood markets performed above average through the end of June 2026. Leisure was the main driver of this development, while DIY and home electronics also recorded clear growth and fashion remained at the previous year’s level.

According to Silke Volejnik, nonfood benefited from strong demand for leisure, outdoor and technology products. Alongside the sunny spring weather, major events such as the FIFA World Cup provided additional purchasing momentum across categories ranging from sporting goods and fan and collectible products to consumer electronics.

Leisure and sport

Leisure remained the most important growth driver within nonfood. Toys again recorded a significant increase, supported by continued strong demand for games and puzzles as well as construction sets, and the FIFA World Cup boosted sales of collectible albums.

Sport also developed positively. The fastest-growing categories included fitness products – particularly small fitness equipment – along with bicycle accessories, children’s bicycles and trekking bikes. Other outdoor segments such as padel rackets, water sports and camping benefited from strong demand as well. E-bikes, by contrast, continued to decline, and the travel subsegment remained slightly below the previous year’s level.

DIY

DIY continued the positive development of previous months and recorded strong sales growth. Summer temperatures in the second quarter in particular boosted demand for cooling and irrigation solutions.

Air conditioners, fans, garden irrigation and pool maintenance recorded above-average growth. Charging stations for electric vehicles, alarm devices and household insecticides also performed well, and motorised lawnmowers remained among the most sought-after products in the DIY market.

Home electronics

Home electronics continued its positive trend. Small domestic appliances were a particular growth driver, with vacuum cleaners once again recording above-average development.

The IT and photography segments increased significantly, supported by strong demand for notebooks, computers, hard disk drives, digital cameras and camcorders. Telecom grew compared with the previous year, driven by mobile phones. Within consumer electronics, projectors and flat-screen TVs performed particularly well, and the FIFA World Cup in June added further sales momentum.

Fashion

Fashion reached the previous year’s level by the end of June 2026. The result was supported by demand for winter clothing in the first quarter and by the positive development of seasonal ranges in the second quarter. Swimwear and beachwear, summer footwear and football clothing benefited in particular from the summer temperatures and the FIFA World Cup.

Conclusion: what Swiss retail growth in the first half of 2026 tells us

The half-year picture is one of a market that grew without much help from consumer confidence. Sentiment sat at -36 points in June and shoppers stuck to selective, needs-based buying, yet sales still finished 2.6% ahead of the previous year, with food/nearfood up 2.5% and nonfood up 2.7%.

What stands out is where the growth came from. In fresh products, it was driven mainly by higher volumes – people genuinely bought more vegetables, meat and dairy. In cooking ingredients, the opposite applied: higher prices carried the category while volumes fell.

Alongside that sit the structural signals: online shopping grew by more than 11% cumulatively, far outpacing the total market, while categories such as wine, e-bikes, bakery and travel stayed below last year regardless of the favourable conditions.

About the NIQ Market Monitor

The Market Monitor Switzerland is an NIQ service produced in cooperation with more than 40 major Swiss retailers, which together account for around 40–50% of total retail sales. Specialist retail is not included, and the NIQ Market Monitor does not claim to be representative of the market as a whole; NIQ produces various total-market estimates for that purpose.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading global consumer intelligence company that provides a comprehensive understanding of consumer purchasing behaviour and reveals new pathways to growth. By combining global data coverage and detailed consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modelling expertise, NIQ develops decision-making systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

Read our other articles about Switzerland:

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• The largest online shops in Switzerland 2026: Full ranking and key trends
• European e-commerce overview: Switzerland

FAQ

Q: How strong was Swiss retail growth in the first half of 2026?

A: Sales were 2.6% above the previous year’s level, according to the NIQ Market Monitor.

Q: Which segment contributed most to Swiss retail growth in the first half of 2026?

A: Nonfood grew slightly more strongly at 2.7%, compared with 2.5% for food/nearfood.

Q: How did online sales develop in Switzerland in the first half of 2026?

A: Online shopping recorded cumulative growth of more than 11% by the end of June 2026.

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