Figures | Switzerland – a little bit (more) of everything

15,000

Switzerland has an egg shortage. The relevant import quota has been increased by 15,000 tonnes, so that some 240 million extra eggs can be imported at a lower rate of duty from 1 May 2026 until the end of the year. This is because supply is unable to keep up with demand. Annual per capita consumption in Switzerland amounts to 197.7 eggs. Source: Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)

0.4

Life expectancy in Switzerland has increased – by 0.4 years for women and 0.3 years for men. Newborns can now expect to live until they are 86.3 years old if they are female, or until the age of 82.7 if they are male. Age demographics are shifting too, with the over-65s now outnumbering the under-20s for the first time. A population getting older, and living longer, has far-reaching implications for the state pension, the labour market, and lawmakers. Source: FSO

409,000

This is the number of overnight stays reported by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) in 2025 – a new record. The SAC’s most popular Alpine hut was the Lämmerenhütte on the Gemmi Pass in the canton of Valais, which hosted 10,053 overnight stays. As the Alps become increasingly popular, an SAC-commissioned study has revealed that one third of SAC huts could become unstable due to melting permafrost. Food for thought. Source: SAC

FIGURES COMPILED BY WALTER SCHMID