Swiss chocolate makers sold more than 14 percent less in the first eight months of this year than in the same period last year. The closure of hotels and restaurants and the decrease in aviation traffic had a deep impact, according to figures from their trade association on Tuesday.
Between May and August, sales were even 21.5 percent lower, Chocosuisse reports. Swiss chocolatiers export 70 percent of their products. Chocosuisse does not yet see any improvement on the international market, not even in the long term.
Inland sales were also lower, but according to the trade association, this was not so much because the Swiss were less hungry. The import of chocolate from abroad increased. According to Chocosuisse, this was due to the high prices of raw materials as a result of the protectionism of the Swiss government.
The Swiss chocolate industry has an annual turnover of around 2 billion euros.
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