I've recently discovered the joys of popping across the border (since i stay 4km from it), to small German towns like Jetstetten et al, to pick up the weekly groceries.

I can't believe how much cheaper it is there than in CH! I heard of colleagues telling me about this, but i had to see it to believe it.

I wonder - how come there's so much difference, and being as it is, how come everyone from Switzerland doesn't make a beeline for these places?

Or do they?

Is there some rule about how much we can get, whether we need to 'declare' the stuff (declare pizzas?), and if any Duty is payable? The smaller borders like the one at Stein am Rhein or Kaiserstuhl don't even have a security guard nowadays. Since i saw some cars stopping, i made it a point to ask one if i needed to, and he simply waved me by with a 'maybe'. I guess his English was as good as my German.

Hi Zubin,

I guess quite a few people do shopping in Germany. Why it is cheaper - I don't know. But when you look more closely, I think not everything is actually cheaper.

There is some restriction to what you can actually bring over the border without extra charge. Here you can find more details: http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en

From my experience cars are checked randomly at the border. But this could also depend on where exactly you cross.

I hope this helps a bit!

Pear

Especially meat is cheaper in Germany, but you are only allowed to bring back 500 grams (half a kilo) per person. It's not much.

I used to go there from Zurich, but Aldi was not around those days in Switzerland and that was the main shop I used to go in Germany. Petrol was as now too.

From Basel (actually Allschwil), we often went to Hiebers in Weil am Rhein. Our impression (not analysis) was that the total bill was about the same, but choice and quality is better. And parking.

The reason is that German retail is much more competitive than Swiss - not difficult, but anyway.

When asked at the border, I told what we had (from memory). I think we once were a bit over on meat, but not so much they bothered.

Happy shopping

It does, indeed.

I assume that section 2 only applies to the things actually mentioned in there, and that other "non-sensitive" food is subject to the 300 CHF limit only?

(If that's true, I'll spend the rest of this year cursing myself for donating a big piece of wonderful Västerbotten cheese to a friend because I couldn't figure out how much I was allowed to bring back from Sweden before I had to catch my plane...)

If you are in a locally registered car, they are less likely to check. When I spent a month in Allschwil with a DK-reg car, I was stopped all the time (mostly for papers).

Your general attire and pigmentation may also influence the thorughness (sp?) of checks.

Sorensen,what do you mean by attire and pigmentation?

he/she was calling u "baby." german customs officers have been known to allow themselves minor liberties.

just to complement, http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en
contains some other non-food regulations

We do most of our larger grocery shopping across the border. Engen has a Lidl, Aldi, Edeka, Plus, Kik all within walking distance and is less than 1 hr from where we live.

Know your limits, keep your receipts, have them handy at the border, and we've never been checked.

Happy cheap shopping to you!

We got the impression that darker-skinned people in less-than flashy cars (and clothes) were stopped more often.

No stats, though.

I'm very fair skinned and drive a Volvo and i've been stopped loads of times. More like the dodgier you look the more likely you are to get stopped. My friend used to get stopped when she wore her hair down but never when she wore it up. Strange. Wear shades and a shiny suit and you'll get stopped for sure. Leaving your shopping on the backseat is another way to get them to start asking questions and want you to show receipts. Timings are important. Crossing back just after the shops have shut there is a better chance of finding a big hunk of meat in your car. Leaving it to 10 pm means to have to hunt down someone to get your customs stamp.

We do most of our shopping in Deutschland too. If you ask at the border post for a list they got a very comprehensive one that gives you limits per person... for chicken, fish, alcohol, meats, butter, cheese, milk, etc.

Fresh vegetables I prefer to buy Swiss - but only because our GP recommended this ... said he will not prescribe "tonics" or vitamins because the Swiss vegetables are organically grown and full of everything we need. I did not have the courage to mention I was buying them "over there"!