The Post mobilizes again against "Stop advertising" stickers

As reported by Tamedia media on Monday, Swiss Post is currently sending out advertising letters to Swiss households - as it did in 2015. The recipients are to be convinced to receive and test samples of goods. This is only possible if there is no "Stop advertising" or "Please no advertising" sticker on the mailbox. Included in the shipment: an "Advertising OK" sticker. In each case, 250,000 households will receive the broadcast in spring and fall 2019.

Even if Swiss Post is not doing anything illegal, it is still using a trick, criticizes the Foundation for Consumer Protection to the Tamedia titles. The reason is that anyone who removes the "Stop advertising" sticker naturally receives not only the promised test samples, but above all vast quantities of normal advertising. It is in the company's interest that as much of this as possible is sent and received: it earns money with every mailing. Sending direct mail is an important source of income for the yellow giant since sales from traditional letter mail have been shrinking for years and more and more competitors are entering the booming parcel market.
Swiss Post communicates that it is gaining new customers with the possibility of delivering product samples. When asked by the Tamedia editorial team, the company does not say exactly who these customers are and limits itself to the statement "consumer goods manufacturers".

The fact that Swiss Post only offers the "Advertising OK" sticker bothers Geneva Green National Councilor Lisa Mazzone: "We should start from the principle that people don't want advertising, and not the other way around."

Consumer Protection has come up with its own tactic against the ad-friendly stickers: anyone who sends the organization a copy or at least a photo of one will receive a "Stop Advertising" sticker in return.