Could the rather staid Swiss drugstore sector be getting a shakeup?
The German chain, Rossmann, says it will start to expand in Switzerland.
In Germany the chain dominates its sector. It has 4,000 stores, employs over 56,000 people and has a turnover of EUR 10bn.
It has already branched out, it operates in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkey, Albania, Kosovo, Spain and Azerbaijan.
The shops close to the Swiss border are popular with Swiss shoppers – they have a large range of products which are much cheaper than here.
The company says it will open the first shop somewhere in the central Switzerland before the end of the year – but more shops will follow quickly.
Retail analysts question whether the chain could keep its low-cost reputation in Switzerland as rents and pay are higher.
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