accommodation annual assurance canton cantonal children choose contact country ecole education english european federal french geneva geneve genève income information insurance international mandatory months office parents people permit primaire private professional residence schools services social specific swiss switzerland tuition years

Supermarkets

The two most well known chains in Switzerland are Coop and Migros.

Migros is a hard-discount, less expensive and most of the products sold have a Migros brand name. They do not sell cigarettes and alcohol. Most of the shops have a single M, but you will find MM (Marché Migros) close to the Cornavin train station to the Cygnes commercial centre, and the largest supermarket is named MMM (Hyper Marché Migros) in Balexert (bus 10/9/29).

Coop is the other big supermarket chain, that you will find in all the areas. You will find products from the Coop brand but also from others, and organic items as well.

Carrefour is a French hyper-market on the Meyrin road, in Vernier.

Pick Pay is another supermarket to buy high street brands, and especially alcohol (discounts are organised every week).

Denner is a discount supermarket, with a large choice of alcohol.

Most of the shops are open between 8am or 9am to 6pm or 7pm. On Thursday they usually close at 8pm. You can go to the airport where you will find a Migros open until 10pm 7 days a week.

You can also do your shopping in France, where goods are often less expensive (there is a Géant in Annemasse), but be careful with the limits set by customs.

Markets

Flea market
Plaine de Plainpalais
Wednesday and Saturday from 8am to 5pm

Papers
Place de la Fusterie
Thursday from 8am to 7pm

Second hand books and disks
Place de la Fusterie
Friday (from April to October) from 8am to 6.45pm

Fruits and vegetables
Plaine de Plainpalais
Tuesday and Friday from 8am to 12pm and on Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Place de la Fusterie
Wednesday and Saturday from 8am to 6.45pm

Place des Grottes
Thursday from 8am to 8pm

Malls and Commercial centers

• Centre Commercial de Balexert - 27, av. Louis-Casaï
• M-Parc - La Praille
• Chavannes Centre
• Signy Centre
• Centre Commercial de Meyrin
• Planète Charmilles - 11, promenade de l'Europe
• Carrefour - Vernier - 171, route de Meyrin
• Pfister Meubles - ch de Riantbosson 5-9, 1217 Meyrin
• Les Cygnes - 16, rue de Lausanne
• Confédération Centre - 11, rue de la Croix d'Or
• Eaux-Vives 2000 - 43, rue de la Terrassière
• La Combe - Nyon
• Centre Commercial de Carouge - 36, av. Cardinal-Mermillod
• Plainpalais Centre
• Lancy Centre - 71, route de Chancy
• Porte de Rive

The VAT in Switzerland is 7,6%.

If you have an problem or query, you can try to contact the Service de Protection de la Consommation (Trading Standard service) [http://www.geneve.ch/consommation].