Consumer Magazine Espresso: What Changes for Swiss Consumers in 2026

Summary

The SRF consumer magazine Espresso informs about important innovations in 2026 for Swiss consumers. The highlights are: better protection against telephone fraud through marking of suspicious calls, the possibility of retroactively paying into the third pillar, as well as the 13th AHV pension for retirees. Additionally, the killing of male chicks in egg production will end, electricity prices will fall, and a new health tariff system called Tardoc will be introduced. A feature also honors the 21-year commitment of Esther Schönmann and her soup kitchen in Langenthal against food waste.

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Innovations for Consumers in 2026

The consumer magazine Espresso from SRF presents an overview of the most important changes that will become relevant for Swiss consumers in 2026.

Protection Against Telephone Fraud

A central topic is improved protection against so-called spoofing – telephone calls in which scammers pose as police officers, bank employees or government officials and attempt to obtain credit card data or other sensitive information. The calls often come from abroad, but the scammers have hijacked Swiss numbers, making it appear as if a local number is calling. From January 1, 2026, telephone providers such as Salt, Sunrise and Swisscom must mark suspicious calls. For landline numbers, the regulation takes effect immediately; for mobile numbers from summer 2026 onwards. Suspicious calls will be displayed anonymously without a number, and consumers can set with their provider that anonymous numbers are filtered out.

Retroactive Payments into the Third Pillar

Another innovation concerns private retirement savings: for the first time, insured persons can retroactively pay into the third pillar if they did not pay enough in a year or forgot to make the payment. However, strict rules apply: first, the full contribution of the current year (2026: just under 7,300 francs) must be paid, only then can gaps from the previous year be closed. Furthermore, retroactive payment is only possible if there was an AHV-liable salary in every year – for example, those who take a year off cannot retroactively pay for that period.

13th AHV Pension and Other Financial Changes

Retirees look forward to the 13th AHV pension, although the first payment will not occur until December 2026. There is good news on electricity prices: these will fall in 2026, but owners of photovoltaic systems will benefit less – the association of independent energy producers expects approximately 25 percent lower compensation for solar power due to the new electricity law.

End of Male Chick Killing

In the field of agriculture and animal welfare, a significant step has been taken: the killing of male chicks will end. Previously, male chicks of laying hens were killed immediately after hatching, as they do not lay eggs and were economically unprofitable for meat production. Bio Suisse offers two solutions: the raising of brother roosters (male birds of specialized laying hens) or the use of dual-purpose chickens that provide both eggs and meat. In conventional egg production, eggs are scanned and male chicks are sorted out before they develop – a controversial method. For consumers, this means additional costs of about two cents per egg.

New Health Tariff System

From January 1, 2026, the new Tardoc tariff system for outpatient medical treatment will take effect. Whether this system will lead to cost savings for patients remains unclear – officially, cost neutrality is promised.

E-ID Digital Identity

At the earliest in summer 2026, the E-ID, the federal digital identity card, should go into operation. Swiss voters had approved this project in September with a narrow majority.

Christmas Story: Esther Schönmann and the Soup Kitchen in Langenthal

The feature honors the long-standing social commitment of 83-year-old Esther Schönmann. More than 20 years ago, she founded a soup kitchen together with other volunteers in Langenthal to combat food waste. Schönmann grew up modestly and criticizes today's culture of waste. After the corona pandemic, she adapted the concept: instead of distributing soup daily, the initiative now distributes approximately 230 bags filled with food and household products weekly to people on very tight budgets.

Three days before the weekly distribution, Schönmann collects food that would otherwise end up in the trash. She cooperates with other aid projects such as Tischlein Deggdich and the Swiss Food Bank. She transports full crates of bananas, alcohol-free beer and many other still-edible products in her car.

Near the market hall in Langenthal, people in need gather in large numbers. For two francs, they receive a number and a filled bag. Family father Stefan Trüssel and his two small children were grateful for bread, beans and other food – for them this means having something to eat again for a longer time. It is a classic win-win situation: food is saved and ends up where it is needed.

Nevertheless, Schönmann's commitment is only a drop in the bucket – in Switzerland, over 2.5 million tons of food end up in the trash annually. In addition to the soup kitchen, Schönmann also runs a Brocken (second-hand shop) where families like the Trüssels can also obtain clothing and household items.

When asked how much longer she wants to continue, Schönmann becomes thoughtful. She actually wants to let go and says: "I really want to let go, done, finished. But it will be difficult, that's clear to me." She knows that at some point enough is enough and you cannot go on forever. The hope remains that the project finds good succession.

Key Messages

• From January 2026, suspicious telephone calls will be marked by telephone providers to reduce spoofing fraud.

• For the first time, insured persons can retroactively pay into the third pillar, but must first pay the full amount of the current year and cannot have a year without AHV-liable income.

• The 13th AHV pension will be paid for the first time (December 2026), and electricity prices will fall – the latter is offset by reduced photovoltaic compensation.

• The killing of male chicks ends; organic producers use brother roosters or dual-purpose chickens, while conventional producers use gender recognition via scanner (costs consumers about 2 cents per egg).

• The new Tardoc health tariff system takes effect; the E-ID should start at the earliest in summer 2026.

• Esther Schönmann has been working against food waste for over 20 years and distributes approximately 230 bags of food weekly to people in need in Langenthal – a drop in the bucket given 2.5 million tons of annual food waste in Switzerland.

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