Coop throws overpriced magazines out of assortment
«Exchange Rate Profiteers»: Coop is taking action and removing several magazine titles from its shelves. Among those affected are *Der Spiegel*, *Vogue*, and *Micky Maus*.
In an advertisement in the Sunday newspapers, Switzerland's second-largest newsstand operator, headed by Joe Sutter, announced that it had decided to stop offering the aforementioned magazine titles until further notice following unsuccessful negotiations. The titles affected by the ban are Freizeit Revue, Der Spiegel, Gala, Neue Post, Micky Maus and Vogue.
This is Coop's public response to a long-standing annoyance that has become even more acute since the minimum euro exchange rate was lifted: In addition to the "Swiss surcharge" that foreign publishers levy on their titles, which is difficult to understand at this level, the exchange rate gains are now also flowing into the publishers' coffers in full. For example, a Swiss child has to pay 6 francs (!) for Mickey Mouse in Switzerland, while the identical title costs 2.99 euros in Germany - a surcharge of 89 percent.
Back in January, the publishers compared to Werbewoche.ch There is little hope that the fleecing of the Swiss readership will change any time soon. And even after the latest developments, they appear - at least superficially - to be unimpressed. Spiegel-Verlag refuses to comment to Schweiz am Sonntag, while Condé-Nast-Verlag (Vogue) states that it is monitoring developments in Switzerland, but that there is "no current decision to adjust prices". (hae/SaS)
