Courts in the United States and the European Union have refused to recognise the ‘Swissness’ of Gruyere and Emmentaler cheese respectively. Even the Swiss government has abandoned the battle to protect traditional Swiss cheese names abroad.
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Agribusiness
The US plans to buy $10 million worth of Swiss cheese – just not from Switzerland
This content was published on
Mar 30, 2026
US tariffs are being used to procure Swiss cheese produced by American farmers under a special provision to absorb surplus production and protect rural jobs.
Read more: The US plans to buy $10 million worth of Swiss cheese – just not from Switzerland
Protecting these names safeguards quality, heritage and rural livelihoods. On the other hand, once a product becomes global, its name inevitably becomes generic and open to broader use.
In an increasingly globalised food market, how can Switzerland still defend the identity of its cheeses and should it do so?