Survey: More Than 50% Of Swiss Admit To Stealing

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One of the first lessons we are taught is to never take something that does not belong to us.  However, more than 50% of Swiss citizens have acknowledged stealing or utilizing services without paying - according to a survey conducted in 2022 among 1,500 Swiss people by money information company Moneyland.ch.

The company labeled it a "petty theft" survey, although it covered theft from families as well as from stores, libraries, hotels, and banks, among other potential major crimes. What people had stolen was not disclosed in the survey. When asked if they had ever used public transportation without paying, 39% of respondents admitted to doing so at least once. This was the most prevalent crime. Half of those between the ages of 18 and 25 reported having done this, making their percentage larger. 27% of respondents claimed to have stolen from their place of employment, while 23% claimed to have done so from a hotel. Furthermore, 16% of respondents acknowledged that they have used a supermarket self-checkout without scanning an item.

The survey found that men were more likely than women to steal. And it wasn't only those with less money that did it; according to Benjamin Manz of Moneyland.ch, "it is neither the poorest nor the richest" who steal the most. Only 40% of respondents indicated they had never stolen anything, whereas 90% of those aged 50 to 74 said they had. Businesses claim that stealing has increased as a result of people's heightened concern over money. Some stores say that people have started stealing everyday necessities rather than high-end goods.