Many Swiss farmers diversify beyond agriculture and develop subsidiary activities such as direct marketing of products, restaurants, or trade. The present study investigates on the question whether farmers who, getting into competition with trade establishments by cause of their diversification activities, enjoy privileges with respect to their regulative frame conditions which could provoke notable market distortions.
On one hand, the respective law and regulations texts were analyzed for differentiating passages, on the other hand, case studies were used to show the consequences concretely and in the practical field.
The topics of area planning and cantonally or locally different enforcement were not looked at.