In recent days, shoppers in Swiss supermarkets may have noticed that the traditional white receipts at Migros have been replaced by those printed in a pale shade of blue. However, before we assume that all the checkout machines are mimicking a period in the life of Pablo Picasso, the international company has confirmed that the change is designed to make receipts more environmentally friendly.

White receipts in Switzerland are not actually recyclable or biodegradable

Speaking to 20 Minuten, Migros spokesperson Tristan Cerf explained the white receipts that Migros used to use are not actually biodegradable or recyclable - to the point that shoppers should dispose of them in regular rubbish, not waste paper. "The old white receipt certainly did not contain prohibited substances, but it had to be thrown in the trash,” he added.

Now, people doing their weekly shopping at the “Orange Giant” in a number of Swiss cantons will start to receive blue receipts. The new paper “does not contain any chemicals and is therefore recyclable,” Cerf explained.

The blue receipts will be used in all Migros stores except those in Canton Vaud, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Fribourg, with Cerf explaining that these regional cooperatives “have decided to wait a little longer, in particular, to know the reaction of the customers.” The newspaper noted that some workers at the company are worried that the blue receipts are harder to read, for example.

Migros customers will be able to do without receipts by end of 2023

In a statement, Migros said that they produce around 1 million receipts every single day, using around 266 tons of paper a year. What’s more, unlike its rivals Coop, customers are not able to do away with receipts entirely, unless they sign up for the Cumulus card or app on their mobile phone. 

Therefore, as part of the announcement, the company confirmed that it will allow customers to do away with receipts entirely by the end of 2023, with the firm expecting “a saving of 122 tons of paper per year” once the policy is implemented.

Thumb image credit: Shutterstock.com / Sorbis