Customs shock 2025: What airline passengers need to know

From January next year, shopping will become more expensive for shopping tourists. The federal government decided this week to halve the tax-free limit from CHF 300 to CHF 150. Anyone who exceeds that amount shopping abroad will have to pay Swiss VAT on their purchases.

This measure is intended to strengthen the domestic economy. The retail trade in particular is suffering from the billions that flow abroad year after year—in 2022 alone, Swiss citizens spent 8.5 billion francs abroad.

The number of fines is likely to increase

The new regulation doesn’t just impact shopping tourists purchasing food and clothing in Konstanz or Weil am Rhein; it applies to all travellers, including those returning by plane.

Business and holiday travellers should take note: if you bring a pair of shoes or souvenirs back from your holiday in the Mediterranean or go shopping in the USA, you could easily exceed the new 150-franc exemption limit.

According to a report by «Blick», surveys suggest that three out of four people simply smuggle their goods through customs, with only occasional spot checks. Those caught face fines, and with the new, lower exemption limit, such cases may become more frequent.

The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) does not intend to target holidaymakers returning from their holidays, but the lower limit is likely to inevitably lead to more fines. How high these are depends on various factors, but the smugglers are sure to face back-taxes and penalties.