The founding of Migros in 1925 by Gottlieb Duttweiler is one of the most important and impressive company foundations in the Swiss economic history. Duttweiler, then 37 years old, founded the business with a loan of 100'000 Swiss Francs. His concept was revolutionary: to sell basic commodities at unbeatably low prices – they were about 20 percent lower than the competitors' prices. The profit margins were so small that Migros incurred a loss despite its success with its customers. Suppliers carried out a boycott against Migros, which prompted Duttweiler to create his own brands. Resistance against Migros' scandalously low prices also came from politicians and administrations. In 1935, Duttweiler reacted by founding a newspaper ("Die Tat") and a political party, which soon became the second strongest party in Zurich.
The founding of Migros in 1925 by Gottlieb Duttweiler is one of the most important and impressive company foundations in the Swiss economic history. Duttweiler, then 37 years ...
old, founded the business with a loan of 100'000 Swiss Francs. His concept was revolutionary: to sell basic commodities at unbeatably low prices – they were about 20 percent lower than the competitors' prices. The profit margins were so small that Migros incurred a loss despite its success with its customers. Suppliers carried out a boycott against Migros, which prompted Duttweiler to create his own brands. Resistance against Migros' scandalously low prices also came from politicians and administrations. In 1935, Duttweiler reacted by founding a newspaper ("Die Tat") and a political party, which soon became the second strongest party in Zurich.
