Swiss biscuits: negative trend goes on

Total turnover also declined. According to the association Biscosuisse, in exports, sales volumes and turnover decreased for the eighth time in succession. Since 2010, the volume of exports by Swiss manufacturers has shrunk by a third. By contrast, imports of foreign goods have increased. Border protection for agriculture and over-regulation are placing an increasing burden on Switzerland as a production location.

In 2018, industrial manufacturers of Swiss long-life baked goods sold a total of 43,048 tonnes (- 2.0%). As a result, total turnover fell by 0.6% to CHF 447.6 m. With the exception of savoury snacks and nibbles, which were more in demand than in the previous year (+ 3.1%), sales volumes for all other product groups declined. Standard biscuits and specialities continue to be the most popular long-life bakery products. These accounted for around 65% of total production.

In 2018, domestic sales volumes and revenues were slightly lower than in the previous year. Sales volume fell by 0.7% to 31,730 tonnes, and sales revenues fell by a similar ratio (- 0.5%) to CHF 348.8 m. The only growth in volume was recorded for savoury snacks and nibbles (+ 3.1%) as well as for specialities (+ 0.6%). Domestic sales volumes of all other product groups declined in Switzerland.

If one considers only the biscuit product group (i.e. standard biscuits and specialities, including wafers and gingerbread-like biscuits), then in 2018 21,778 tonnes of biscuits were imported, practically the same amount as that sold on the Swiss market (22,150 tonnes) from domestic production. The market share of imported goods thus amounted to 49.6% (+ 1.6%). Of these, 45% are imported from Germany. As a result of the increase in imports, total domestic sales of biscuits evolved positively. Taking domestic and imported products into account, an average per capita consumption of biscuits of 5.2 kg (+ 0.2%) can be derived.

Since 2011 already, the export business has been experiencing a persistent negative trend. Thereby, between 2010 and 2018, both sales volumes and turnover declined by more than 30%. Foreign sales of long-life baked goods manufactured in Switzerland amounted to 11,318 tonnes (- 5.5%). As a result, turnover fell to CHF 98.8 m (- 1.3%). As in the domestic market, savoury snacks and nibbles were also more popular abroad than in the previous year (+ 3.1%), as were special products (+ 2.0%). By contrast, sales volumes declined for all other product groups.

The export share of total production amounted to 26.3% (- 3.5%). The list of export destinations for Swiss biscuits in 2018 comprised 85 countries. Germany again headed the list with an export share of 36.4%, followed by France (22.1%) and Saudi Arabia (6.5%).