Climate fatigue on the rise: Swiss people are hardly guided by climate change when shopping
For 4 out of 5 adults in Switzerland, the climate debate has little or no influence on their consumption and financial decisions. This is shown by a representative survey conducted by Comparis. There is a significant gap between expectations and reality.
Forests are ablaze across Europe, and one heat wave follows another. Yet the climate debate has had little impact on the Swiss population’s consumer behavior: 34 percent say it does not influence their decisions at all, while another 46 percent say it has only a minor influence. Only for 20 percent does the climate debate actually play a role in their daily lives—whether when shopping or investing. This is shown by a representative survey conducted by Comparis in July 2026 among 1,040 people across all regions of Switzerland.
The figure has risen significantly once again compared to surveys conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. «Although many Swiss people claim they are reducing things like air travel or their meat consumption, the facts tell a different story,» says Comparis financial expert Michael Kuhn.
High-income earners are particularly unaffected
A more nuanced picture emerges when comparing income groups: 75 percent of people with a low gross household income of up to 4,000 francs say that the climate debate has no influence—or at most a minor one—on their consumption and financial decisions. For households with an income above 8,000 francs, the figure is as high as 84 percent.
«It seems that high earners find it even harder to cut back or change their behavior than people with less money in their wallets. This is likely also because high earners can simply afford to travel more and spend more,» says Comparis consumer finance expert Michael Kuhn.
People with children act in a more sustainable way
Respondents with children in their households attach greater importance to the issue and also act more consciously in their daily lives: 74 percent of them say that the climate debate has a slight to very significant influence on their decisions. Among households without children, the figure is only 62 percent.
«People who think beyond their own lifetimes and also consider future generations act more prudently. This is also evident when it comes to household size: The climate debate influences behavior much more significantly in households with three or more people than in one- or two-person households,» says Kuhn.
Climate fatigue has been on the rise for years
It is interesting to note how the survey results have evolved since the first study in 2019: Comparis has asked the question about the impact of the climate debate on consumer and financial decisions 14 times already. Between December 2020 and August 2023, 66 to 70 percent of respondents consistently reported «little» or «no» influence. Since then, this figure has risen steadily to the current 80 percent. The proportion of people who see no influence at all rose from 18 to 20 percent to 34 percent.
«This climate fatigue is the result of a disastrous mix of more tangible, more pressing problems—such as rising health insurance premiums, higher rents, wars, and inflation, fatigue from an omnipresent debate, and a sense of powerlessness—and in some cases, even fatalism,» Kuhn explains.
Wanting is not the same as acting
40 percent of all respondents who acknowledged that the climate debate has at least a minor influence on their consumption habits said they are consuming less meat and animal products. 36 percent said they have cut back on air travel. These figures have remained stable for years—but do they reflect reality?
Statistical data paint a different picture: Meat consumption rose from 48 kilograms per capita in 2023 to 51 kilograms in 2025. Overall, it has remained stable at around 50 kilograms per capita since 2019, as shown in the agricultural report from the Federal Office for Agriculture. Per capita egg consumption exceeded the 200-mark for the first time in 2025, reaching 209 eggs, according to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security.
The picture is similar for air travel: The number of domestic passengers departing from Zurich Airport rose from 22.2 million in 2019 to 23.2 million last year—a new record. The HSLU’s analysis of the microcensus data for the city of Zurich also shows that in 2024, Zurich residents flew an average of 10,500 kilometers—about 600 kilometers farther than in 2023.
«People would certainly like to see something done, but when it comes down to giving up air travel, clothes, or a schnitzel themselves, they don’t really want to,» says Kuhn. «It’s true that there is a small portion of the Swiss population that lives more consciously due to climate change and, for example, consumes less meat and animal products. But that number is likely still significantly smaller than the small percentage of people who say they act accordingly.»
Tips for Making More Informed Purchasing Decisions
Those who still want to consume more consciously can start with simple steps: Taking a break before making a purchase—such as waiting 24 hours—helps avoid impulse buys. It’s also worth focusing more on a product’s lifespan and prioritizing durable, repairable, or borrowable items. Before buying something new, you should always consider alternatives: repairing, buying secondhand, swapping, or borrowing. For everyday shopping, it’s a good idea to bring a shopping list and choose seasonal and regional products. By considering both the environmental and financial impacts and making decisions based on a simple checklist of criteria—price, utility, durability, origin, and genuine alternatives—you can make better purchasing decisions.
Source: comparis.ch
