Buying wine and liquor in Switzerland
A traveler is curious about buying wine and liquor in Switzerland, wondering if it's available at COOP markets or if there are separate stores for alcohol. They also want to know where to find the best prices for alcohol while enjoying their vacation cocktails.
- You can find a great selection of wine, beer, and spirits at most COOP stores, which are widely available throughout Switzerland.
- Migros stores typically do not sell alcohol due to company policy, but some franchised Migros Partners may offer it.
- Expect to find budget-friendly Swiss wines for under $10, and even cheaper options from other countries like Spain.
AI-generated summary-
I’m wondering about how purchasing wine and liquor works in Switzerland. Every state in the United States has different laws, etc., so I’m assuming Switzerland has some specific standards and laws as well. Are wine and liquor available in COOP markets or are there separate retail outlets for alcohol purchases? And what are the least expensive places to purchase alcohol? Are retail outlets plentiful and well located? Afternoon cocktails are important on vacation! LOL!
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COOP stores sell booze. Most decent size stores have excellent range of wines, beers and spirits. Party on! 😎
Also how does one pronounce COOP? Is it coop as in chicken coop, or co-op as in cooperative?
CO OP
<<“Also how does one pronounce COOP? Is it coop as in chicken coop, or co-op as in cooperative?”>>
Yes…
I’ll ask a Swiss friend, if no one jumps in. Either one will get you there.
😉
Slowpoke
Thanks!! And cheers!
You will find CO OP stores just about everywhere in Switzerland. Wherever there is a CO OP there is sure to be a Migros close by. Migros are not into selling grog. I gather it’s a religious thing. I did find one that stocked beer in Montreux if I recall.
Migros is an interesting case. Their stores do not sell alcohol and tobacco because that’s what their founder decided, and they still hold on to that. This article explains why there are exception to that rule, like alcohol (liquor) in some kinds of chocolate: faq.migros.ch/de/detail/die-migros-bietet-in-ihren-filialen-alkoholhaltige-produkte. Other exceptions are stores that are not a pure Migros, but a Migros Partner (franchise), for example. They have a different contract and can sell what they want. I can’t recall a Migros Partner not selling alcohol 🙂
Hi Arno –
<<“Other exceptions are stores that are not a pure Migros, but a Migros
Partner (franchise), for example. They have a different contract and can
sell what they want. I can’t recall a Migros Partner not selling
alcohol :-)”>>
Truth indeterminate, I was told that the Migros bought Denner so that they could sell alcohol. 😉
How does a Dutchman who visits Switzerland frequently pronounce COOP? Or, is it Coop? 😉 Actually, I think it is “coop.”
Wiki disagrees with Rockoyster, by making the word one syllable, not two. I am reminded of the German “das Boot.”
<<“From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
……………..
Coop (German pronunciation: [ˈkoːp]) is one of Switzerland’s largest retail and wholesale companies. It is structured in the form of a cooperative society with around 2.5 million members.”>>
and,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Standard_German
Scroll down the list on the right to find “o:”
So, for us who speak American “English” free of any Tasmanian accent, we should say “cope” when in a German speaking zone.
Perhaps Snowman, who lives in the francophone region, but speaks several variants of “German” as well as other languages, can tell us how to pronounce the Swiss word “coop” in the French, Italian, and selected Romansch languages and dialects, not to mention the variations on Swiss German.
Slowpoke
< how does one pronounce COOP >
COOP comes from “cooperative” (in fact it is one). Pronounce as in cough, but end with P, not gh=F.
In the French part, we say “la Coop”, pronounced as in my previous post. Older people, like myself, also say “la Coopé”, pron. ko-pay. In the German part, they say “Coop”, pron. Kop, almost like the American slang word for police officer. If you can manage, pronounce the K the Swiss German way, kind of Kgh (gh as in the native American language in our imagination, a sound that does not exist in many languages, and certainly not in English. Again, old people would also use “Konsum”, K as Kgh. The official name of Coop used to mean “Consumer Cooperative”. I don’t know for sure how they say in the Italian and Romansh parts.
Fascinating. As I have only ever referred to the establishment in English I shall continue to use CO-OP. I have never had occasion to ask a Swiss person “where is the nearest COOP?” on account of Google maps.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do….
Slowpoke
In addition to Snowman’s excellent information: in this video at 1:00 you can hear how it’s pronounced in Swiss German: youtu.be/W_aXRF9vqKo. It’s similar to how I pronounce it; we have COOP’s in The Netherlands too, but I prefer the Swiss ones 🙂
Yes, Denner is a good store for alcohol and budget shopping.
Hi Arno-
Thanks for the video.
I think die Beratin says “cope” ( American English, also, “rope”, “dope”, “slope”) not “cop” (American English, also, slop, pop, top ).
I’ll have to play it a few more times to be sure……
So, the American pronunciation , with two syllables …and probably the Tasmanian pronunciation of “koh–op” though understandable seems likely to be incorrect.
Seems like American “coop” as in “chicken coop” might not be right , either.
Sounds like the sound in standard German “das Boot” to me.
Slowpoke
All very interesting info. Thanks much! And again……cheers!
And here in this video right at the beginning it’s pronounced as American “cope”.
You will find the word “grüezi” infinitely more useful then “cope”. See http://www.eldrid.ch/swgerman.htm#How%20to%20impress%20a%20Swiss. 😉
Thanks, Rockoyster! Very useful info. 🤗
Oh my. A very informative email that left me cross-eyed and tongue-tied. May I never have to ask for a Coop or try to impress a Swiss national by asking, may I open your CHUCHICHÄSCHTLI? Which, of course, I would never do. ~Kay
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