Since Gretchen has been in Wisconsin, I have actually had to do my own grocery shopping (horrors!). So, here are some observations about how shopping here differs from at home:

-- You have to put down a deposit for a shopping cart. You put a 2 franc coin in the cart to release it, then when you return it the coin pops back out.

-- You weigh your own fruits/vegetables and get a price tag before going to the register (Gretchen learned this the hard way--the first time we visited Basel, she brought some fruit to the register without a price tag and the cashier started squawking at her in Swiss German and another customer scolded her for not getting the tag first).

-- There are two main grocery stores here--Coop and Migros--and they're almost always within a block or two of each other. There is some overlap, but they also carry different brands. At least if one store doesn't have what you're looking for, you can be pretty certain the other store will be nearby and you can find it there. I haven't figured out if they're intense competitors or if they are in intense collusion.

--Recycling of plastic bottles is typically done at the grocery stores. You don't get money back or anything, but it's just understood that you'll return your plastic bottles to the store.

--You're typically expected to bring your own bags to carry groceries. Otherwise, you can buy bags at the store, or they often have tiny, flimsy bags that can carry a few items.

--You always bag your own groceries.

--If you have a car with Virginia tags, everyone in the parking lot stares at you as if you're a leper.

I'm sure Gretchen has caught more subtle distinctions, but that's what I've noticed so far...