Executive Summary

Since October 2025, the city of Zurich has been operating an exchange platform called JOSI on the Josef site in Zurich-West, where 400–900 visitors daily repair and exchange old items. The project is subsidized by the city through rent-free offers for four additional spaces, which have already received 40 applications. However, the trade association questions the long-term sustainability once financial support ends.

People

Topics

  • Circular Economy & Repair Culture
  • Municipal Subsidy Policy
  • Sustainability Models

Clarus Lead

The city of Zurich has established an exchange platform called JOSI on a historic waste incineration site – a flagship project of the circular economy that attracts hundreds of users daily four months after launch. In parallel, the city is renting four additional spaces to repair and lending initiatives rent-free for up to twelve months. The approach is booming: 40 applications are on hand. Yet a central risk is emerging: if public funding is withdrawn, the entire model could collapse.

Detailed Summary

The Josef site in Zurich-West underwent radical repurposing. What served as a waste incineration facility for over 100 years has housed an innovative repair and exchange ecosystem since October 2025. JOSI, the municipal exchange platform, records between 400 and 900 visitors daily who give away or take old lamps, furniture, and other items for free. The response is clear: positive Google reviews and qualitative feedback confirm the concept.

In parallel, the city operates four rental spaces for specialized offerings. One association provides repair services, a textile company lends clothing, and a third organizes creative workshops with reusable materials. These small businesses pay no rent for three to twelve months – a model that functions as a hidden subsidy. The attractive location at zero cost explains the massive demand: 40 applications for four spaces.

Daniel Breuninger, president of the Trade Association District 5, warns, however, of a sustainability trap. Historically, pilot projects collapse once subsidies end – not because the model is flawed, but because actors remain unprofitable without state funding. The city disagrees: many of the participating associations are already active at other locations and could sustain themselves. Moreover, the circular economy sector is growing structurally.

Key Statements

  • High Acceptance: JOSI attracts 400–900 visitors daily; Google reviews are positive.
  • Subsidy Model: Four spaces are offered rent-free; 40 applications demonstrate enormous interest in affordable locations.
  • Sustainability Disputed: The trade association fears collapse after financial support ends; the city relies on organic industry growth.

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: How are the daily visitor numbers (400–900) collected? Are these entries or unique visitors? Is follow-up tracking conducted to capture repeat visitors?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent does rent-free status influence review quality? Are there incentives for artificially positive feedback to secure renewal?

  3. Causality – Industry Growth: The city argues that the circular economy is growing anyway. Is JOSI a catalyst or merely a beneficiary of this trend? How is it measured counterfactually what would happen without subsidy?

  4. Long-Term Viability: Which businesses have already successfully continued the model without subsidy? Do reliable business plans exist for current tenants after the rent-free period ends?

  5. Regulatory Sustainability: Is JOSI permanently anchored in the city budget or does it remain a pilot? How does the city calculate annual opportunity costs?

  6. Comparability: What similar circular economy projects exist in Switzerland or Germany? What do their transition rates show (subsidy → independence)?

Sources

Primary Source: SRF Regional Journal Zurich Schaffhausen – https://download-media.srf.ch/world/audio/Regionaljournal_Zuerich_Schaffhausen_radio/2026/02/Regionaljournal_Zuerich_Schaffhausen_radio_AUDI20260209_NR_0087_e7dcc1318ca94430a523986072c4ef5f.mp3

Verification Status: ✓ 09.02.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 09.02.2026