Buying a flag in Switzerland: price, size and quality of the Swiss flag

A Swiss flag can be anything from a small table flag to a large hoisting flag for a 12-metre pole, printed or with a sewn-in cross, standard stock or made to order with a company logo. The price range is correspondingly wide. This guide gives no amounts, because they change by supplier and over time. It explains what affects the price and summarises the rules that apply when buying in Switzerland.

What affects the price of a flag

Size

Size is the most important price factor. Square Swiss hoisting flags are sold in the trade in sizes including 80 × 80, 100 × 100, 120 × 120, 150 × 150, 200 × 200, 250 × 250 and 300 × 300 cm. With the area, fabric use, sewing work and shipping weight all increase. Which size suits a given pole height is shown by the flag size calculator.

Fabric

Flags for poles are mostly made of polyester, often knitted, which flies more easily in the wind and frays less than woven fabric. For windy locations there are heavier fabrics, and for hanging flags and decoration also lighter ones. The fabric affects both price and lifespan.

Printed or inset cross

The Swiss flag is made in two ways: the cross is either printed or inset and sewn as a separate piece of white fabric. Inset crosses are equally sharp on both sides and are considered particularly durable in the trade, but take more work to make. Printed flags are simpler to produce; with them, the printing process matters, for example how far the colour shows through on the reverse. For the red, the Coat of Arms Protection Act specifies Pantone 485.

Finishing

Along the hoist, the edge next to the pole, there are snap hooks, eyelets, a sleeve or a cord, depending on the pole system. Reinforced corners and a double-stitched fly edge extend the lifespan. Hanging flags need a sleeve for the crossbar, outrigger flags a finish for the outrigger. Each extra feature affects the price.

Standard or made to order

Swiss, cantonal and many communal flags are available from stock. Custom flags with a company logo, an association’s emblem or a special size cost more, especially in small quantities, because design and production set-up are spread over few pieces. For larger quantities, the unit price usually falls.

Origin and shipping

Whether a flag was sewn in Switzerland or abroad is also reflected in the price. For orders from abroad, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security levies VAT on the import; postal and courier services may charge additional fees for this.

Price display in shops and online

Under Article 3 of the Price Disclosure Ordinance, the price actually payable in Swiss francs must always be stated when goods are offered to consumers. Public charges such as VAT and non-optional surcharges must be included in the price under Article 4; only shipping costs may be shown separately. The standard VAT rate is 8.1 per cent under Article 25 of the VAT Act.

Warranty and returns

• Warranty: under Article 197 of the Code of Obligations, the seller is liable for defects that remove or considerably reduce the flag’s value or fitness for use. Defects are reported immediately after discovery under Article 201. If there is a defect, the buyer can, under Article 205, rescind the sale or claim a price reduction.
• Time limit: claims become time-barred two years after delivery under Article 210. For purchases for personal or family use from a commercial seller, this period may not be shortened below two years.
• Exclusion: Swiss law allows the warranty to be limited or excluded by contract. Under Article 199, such an exclusion is invalid if the seller fraudulently concealed the defect. What applies is set out in the terms and conditions.
• Returns: there is no statutory right of withdrawal for online purchases in Switzerland. Articles 40a ff. grant a 14-day right of withdrawal, for example for offers made at the door, in the street or by telephone. Any voluntary right of return is set out in the retailer’s terms and conditions.

Flag, coat of arms and designs

Anyone may use the Swiss flag and the cantonal and communal flags under Article 10 of the Coat of Arms Protection Act, provided the use is not misleading. Flags with the Swiss coat of arms, the cross in a triangular shield, or with cantonal and communal coats of arms are, by contrast, in principle reserved for the public body under Article 8; they are permitted, among other things, for decorating festivals and events. What affects the price of a pole is covered in the guide to buying a flagpole.