More specifically, Uncle Ben's, Kinder Schokolade and Studio Line products from L'Oreal will no longer be available. At a later stage Nivea, Evian and Actimel may suffer the same fate.
Haven't done the cross-border shopping run for maybe 4 years now - basically since I swapped the ex (ironically - a German) for a local Cutie.
So on the strength of the CHF vs EUR (was down to 1.03 earlier in the week but EUR bounced temporarily back to 1.11 by Saturday) we took the rug rats and hit Waldshut-Tiengen. Used to live in Wuerenlos (AG) so would go via Baden / Bad Zurzach, but now near Volketswil (ZH) so very easy and pleasant drive via Kloten / Bulach.
Mein Frau was amazed at the low costs - even on the bio produce - that we picked up in Edeka. We maxed out on meat and spirits allowances (neglected wine - oversight !) but filled two trolleys and still only spent EUR 286. Would have been more but they only had 6 packs of size 5 and 5+ pampers !!!
Mein Frau will now be doing this on a regular weekday :-)
The good news is that fish and seafood has no limits on it (up to the 300CHF limit). So I go to Ile Napoleon near Mulhouse and buy as much seafood as we can eat in the next few days....
According to the papers all our day to day products are grossly overpriced here in CH, so it's worth stocking up on things like nappies (in our case) we saved nearly 100CHf on those... if the franc stays this strong I'm going to become a regular eu shopper!
Went to Jestetten for weekly supplies last week and was impressed by the number and size of the supermarkets there (as well as by the prices naturally) considering the Gemeinde only has slightly more than 5000 inhabitants. But it is clear the shops are catering for Grenz-shoppers since they have the Ausfuhrschein ready for every customer. I wasn't therefore surprised to see that the vast majority of the cars parked at the various shopping areas had Swiss number plates. What was surprising, however, was that the customs at the nearby border crossings seemed largely unmanned (there is even no customs post at all when going through the wooden bridge from Rheinau), which makes it easy to come in with a lorry and drive back with half the Edeka in the trailer without being bothered (legal disclaimer: I am not encouraging nor condoning such an action. Declare your tons of meat and your gallons of wine/beer as per import regulations).
I however also agree with the sentiment that quality seems higher at Migros and Coop, especially regarding the meat. But the price difference isn't justified.
Just to make sure, you are talking about Hohentengen a. H., right?
Just a word of caution: Border patrol sometimes does checks a few kms inland from the border. So even if the border post is unmanned, make sure that you complete a declaration form (and keep your copy with you) if you're importing more than the tax free limit.
Am off to Jestetten tomorrow evening, what colour/type truck did you say you have Rusty? If I see it parked at Edeka, will motor on down to Aldi where hopefully they will still have some foodstuffs left on the shelves
I do not confirm nor deny that I will have a large camouflaged vehicle parked at Edeka in which goods will be speedily shoved, before surreptitiously making its way back to ZH through the small roads and dirt paths.
But you should not worry, Mrs Swisstree, as I am not interested in frozen pizzas, talcum powder or lustige Taschenbücher. You should therefore be able to find the supplies you have come for.
I disagree about the quality difference. Meat products in Germany are very well tested. Besides of the lower costs due to the strong Euro, meat is also subsidized by the EU. Actually its a bit unfair that we take advantage on that as Swiss habitants.
I was worried that ALDI and LIDL were like Walmart in the US, but it is not the same abuse of labor issues. We were SO sad to have avoided the savings over Migro and Coop for over a year. Try these places and try them abroad. They do not have fixed inventories and I have found some deals I could not have even found in the US, but checking online first is never a bad idea.
Buying stuff in Germany is cheaper all right, but the level of quality of meat in particular is far better in Switzerland than anywhere Europe!
The animal welfare law is very good (Schweizer Fleisch) plus coop an migros offer also labels like Terrasuisse or Naturafarm were the animals had a "better"live before becoming a steak. I`m going to Germany and buy things once in a while too but I buy the (quite more expensive, but resonable) meat in CH to support farms which pay attention to the welfare of their animals.
...and pump the meat full of water which leaks out during cooking.
Even the bio stuff I've bought (just to see if it has the same problem) leaked out water during frying, err... sorry, steaming in this case, and shrunk to almost half its original mass.
The livestock might have had a better life but they are treated shamelessly after slaughter.
I buy all my cosmetics in germany, not willing to pay the prices here... And since jestetten is only half an hour drive from the city.. Why not. But off to holland this weekend so i will be filling up my car on the way back