Product Range & Labels

The range was further expanded in 2014, especially in the area of organic chicken. The range of organic food now includes more than a thousand products – from fruit and vegetables, to meat and fish, through to bread, chocolate, dairy products and tea. Sales of food carrying the Migros Bio label amounted to around CHF 593 million in the reporting year, representing an increase of 15.0% in comparison to the previous year (2013: CHF 517 million).

In 2014, Migros also expanded its range of textiles carrying the Migros Bio Cotton label.  Sales in the reporting year amounted to CHF 51 million, more than 15% higher than in the previous year.

At the Migros Do it + Garden stores, eco-conscious gardeners can find a wide selection of organic products under the Migros Bio Garden label. All products are subject to strict guidelines which Migros has developed jointly with the Swiss Research Institute of Organic Culture (FiBL).

It was established in partnership with the Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach and the association of Swiss integrated production farmers (IP-Suisse).  With the TerraSuisse label, Migros makes an active commitment to near-nature and animal-friendly Swiss agriculture.

More than 11'000 IP-Suisse farmers ensure a high standard of animal welfare and keep their animals in animal-friendly enclosures with outdoor access. Cereal, potatoes and rape are cultivated in an environmentally friendly way and without the use of insecticides, growth regulators or fungicides.  The farmers are also committed to maintaining biodiversity, such as by creating habitats for wildlife and rare plants.

Migros and IP-Suisse make an effort to refine the label requirements on a continuous basis. For example, a long-term research project with the University of Bern's Vetsuisse Faculty aims to reduce the use of antibiotics in calf fattening. Early results led to certain substances being banned in IP-Suisse production in 2014.

Sales amounted to CHF 93 million in 2014 (2013: CHF 77 million). At the end of 2014, 97% of fish sold by Migros originated from sustainable sources. This means that the products carried the MSC, ASC or Migros BIO label or were categorised as recommended or acceptable by WWF. Since 2014, all fish available at Migros fresh-food counters has originated from sustainable sources. Migros has set itself the objective of procuring its entire fish range from sustainable sources by the end of 2020.

The other Migros retailers and industrial companies that use fish as a raw material have also made a pledge to remove all fish species from their range that have been categorised as endangered by WWF. They had already replaced 98% by the end of 2014. 

Since 2014, Migros has also been producing all advertising material from paper and cardboard in environmentally friendly recycling or FSC quality. The aim is for three quarters of all wood and paper products to conform to the sustainability guidelines by the end of 2015.

The proportion of FSC products is also being monitored in the Migros Group. A proportion of 35% (2013: 42%) was reached in the Commerce Department in 2014. In the Industry & Wholesaling Department, which accounts for the majority of packaging material, the proportion even rose to 87% (2013: 85%) of the total consumables (including wood).

In 2014, Migros expanded its range of tinned and jarred products, including green asparagus. For coffee, tea and cocoa, Migros applies the UTZ Certified programme, which enables farmers to improve their harvests and boost their income while protecting the environment. After becoming the first retailer in Switzerland to switch its full standard range of coffee to UTZ certified in 2010, and switching all Frey chocolate to UTZ-certified cocoa in 2013, Migros also applied the standard to various other products in 2014, including biscuits, muesli bars and cereals.

Eco is based on a principle of precaution and prevention. The aim is to produce clothes and textiles with utmost consideration for the environment. The traceability of the products and the monitoring of ecologically critical processes form the basis for improvements. The social acceptability is based on the international standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

At the end of 2014, almost three thirds of all textiles sold by Migros carried the Eco label. In the reporting year, Migros supported individual suppliers that recently started applying the Eco guidelines to their products. Migros is aiming to produce all of its own-brand textiles in accordance with the strict Eco guidelines by the end of 2017.

The label guide with an overview of all sustainable labels can be found here.