Operate your self-service farm shop cashlessly: Payment solutions without staff.

Swiss self-service farm shops can be operated without staff and without an honesty box today – with TWINT QR stickers, QR codes with a payment page, or vending machines with card payment. According to a study by the University of Bern, the classic honesty box (Kässeli) causes around 5% shrinkage – even more for higher-value products such as honey or meat. Cashless solutions reduce this shrinkage, simplify bookkeeping, and offer customers the payment experience they are used to.

This guide compares the three common models for cashless payment in unattended farm shops, shows the concrete costs per transaction, and helps you find the right solution for your business.

1. Honesty boxes are yesterday's news: Why Swiss farm shops are switching

Over 11,000 Swiss farms sell directly from the farm – the number has increased by around 60% in recent years. For most of them, sales are self-service: eggs, vegetables, honey, flowers, or milk are placed in a room or shelter, and customers help themselves and put the money in a cash box. This honesty box model works better in Switzerland than in many other countries – researchers at the University of Bern estimate payment morale at around 95%. This sounds high, but translated into real terms, it still means noticeable losses: with an annual turnover of CHF 20,000, around CHF 1,000 is missing.

In addition, fewer and fewer customers carry the exact change. Those who only have a 50-franc note with them either do not buy – or leave a note promising to pay later. Cashless payment solves several problems at once: no shrinkage due to theft, no change issues, and complete documentation of every transaction for bookkeeping.

2. Three models compared: TWINT QR stickers, QR code payment, and vending machines

For unattended farm shops, there are essentially three solutions to choose from. Each has its place – depending on the product range, sales volume, and willingness to invest.

The table shows: There is no universally best model. For many farm shops, a combination is sensible – for example, a TWINT QR sticker as a basic level, complemented by a QR code with a payment page for customers who wish to pay by card.

3. TWINT QR stickers in unattended farm shops: Simple, but with risks

The TWINT QR sticker is the easiest solution for cashless payment without staff. Over 1,000 Swiss farm shops already use it since the Swiss Farmers' Union (SBV) launched the solution in 2019 in cooperation with TWINT. The principle: Customers scan the QR code with their TWINT app, enter the amount themselves, and confirm the payment. The amount is transferred directly to the farm shop's account.

The big advantage: Zero investment, zero running fixed costs. You do not need a terminal, electricity, or internet. Depending on the provider, the transaction fee is around 1.3% – for a box of eggs for CHF 6, that is 8 centimes. This is less than the shortfalls typically incurred with an honesty box.

What the TWINT QR sticker cannot do

The weakness lies in the lack of amount control. Customers enter the amount themselves – the system does not check whether the entered amount matches the price of the goods. There is therefore no technical protection against underpayment. Furthermore, the TWINT QR sticker accepts TWINT exclusively. Anyone without a Swiss banking app – such as tourists or cross-border commuters – cannot pay.

4. QR code with payment page: More control, more payment methods

The second option goes a step further: A QR code that does not lead to the TWINT app, but to a payment page in the browser. There, the amount is either already predefined, or customers select the product from a list. Payment is made via TWINT, credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or another supported payment method.

Advantages over the pure TWINT QR sticker

Firstly: Amount control. You determine which amounts are available for selection – such as "Egg box CHF 6", "Large honey CHF 12", "Flower bouquet CHF 8". Customers cannot enter a fantasy amount. Secondly: More payment methods. Customers without TWINT can also pay. Thirdly: Receipt by email and a clean transaction overview in the Dashboard.

How does it work technically?

You create a payment page or a payment link via a payment provider. This generates a QR code, which you print out and hang up in the farm shop. There are two options: a static QR code per product (e.g., a QR code on the egg shelf, one on the honey) or a dynamic QR code where customers select the product themselves on the payment page. Both options work without a terminal, without electricity, and without internet – the customer's smartphone does it all.

Cost example

For a payment of CHF 6 via TWINT using Payrexx QR Pay, fees of 1.25% + CHF 0.00 apply – that is 8 centimes. For card payments via the Payrexx Free plan: 2.50% + CHF 0.30 = 45 centimes. From CHF 19/month (Standard plan), card fees drop to 1.65% + CHF 0.18 = 28 centimes. For farm shops with few card transactions, the free plan is sufficient; for regular card volumes, the Standard plan is worth it.

5. Vending machines and refrigerators with card payment: When hardware pays off

The third option is the farm shop vending machine: a device with a touchscreen, barcode scanner, and integrated payment function (cash, card, TWINT). Vending machines offer the highest level of control because products are only released after payment. In Switzerland, providers such as BiLL GmbH, itWorks (speedy), or Ruedu are active.

For whom vending machines are worth it

Vending machines pay off with higher sales volumes (from approx. CHF 30,000–50,000 annual turnover), higher-value products (meat, cheese, milk), and when the farm shop is located in a high-frequency area, such as on a main road. Typical investment costs range between CHF 3,000 and CHF 10,000 depending on the features. In addition, there are ongoing costs for electricity, internet, maintenance, and transaction fees. A tablet-based self-service POS system (e.g., itWorks speedy) is cheaper: from approx. CHF 1,300 for the hardware and around CHF 37/month for software and card payment.

Practical tip: Electricity and internet

Vending machines and POS systems need electricity and usually an internet connection. In remote farm shops without electricity, this is a real obstacle. In these cases, TWINT QR stickers or QR codes with a payment page remain the only realistic options, as they do not require any infrastructure at the location.

6. Theft, shortfalls, and control: How to keep track

The basic problem in unattended farm shops remains: No one checks whether payment has been made. Even cashless solutions do not completely eliminate theft – someone can still take goods without scanning the QR code. However, they reduce shrinkage significantly because the honest majority pays correctly and the transactions are documented.

Measures to reduce shrinkage

According to the study by the University of Bern, video surveillance increases payment morale by around 5%. In Switzerland, a notice about the camera is mandatory, and the camera must not capture public ground. In addition, highly visible price tags, clear payment instructions, and a friendly atmosphere help. Farm shops located in or near a town are statistically less affected by theft than those in remote locations.

For bookkeeping, cashless solutions offer a decisive advantage: every transaction is documented. With TWINT, you see the receipts in the bank or TWINT statement. With QR payment pages, you have a Dashboard with all transactions, an export function, and automatic reconciliation. This saves time during daily balancing and simplifies VAT accounting.

7. Seasonal products, changing prices: Flexible checkout for strawberries, eggs, and honey

Farm shops often sell seasonal products with fluctuating prices. Strawberries cost CHF 8 per tray this week, maybe CHF 6 next week. The bunch of asparagus is sold out, but there are fresh courgettes. This poses a challenge for any payment system.

Practical example: Farm shop with three product lines

A farm sells eggs (CHF 6/box), honey (CHF 12/jar), and seasonal vegetables (CHF 4–8, changing). A static QR code per product is suitable for eggs and honey: the price rarely changes, and the QR code hangs on the respective shelf. For vegetables, a dynamic QR code with a product list is more practical: you easily update the range and prices online, and the same QR code on the vegetable shelf always shows the current offer.

Weatherproof QR codes

A QR code outdoors must be UV-resistant, waterproof, and robust. Laminated printouts last a few months but yellow over time. Better choices are acrylic glass holders or aluminium signs with an embedded QR code. Some payment providers supply weatherproof stickers or signs. Before hanging them up, check whether the QR code is legible in sunlight and from different angles.

8. Checklist: Setting up your cashless self-service farm shop

• Take stock: How many products, which price ranges, how often do prices and product ranges change?

• Check infrastructure: Is there electricity and internet at the location? If not, only TWINT QR stickers or QR codes with a payment page are options.

• Set up TWINT QR stickers as a base – free of charge, done in 10 minutes, covers the majority of Swiss customers.

• Set up complementary QR codes with a payment page for customers who want to pay with card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

• Clearly write down prices – even if the QR code predefines the amount. Customers must know what they are paying before scanning.

• Mount QR codes weather-resistantly: Laminated, in acrylic glass, or as an aluminium sign. Test legibility in sunlight.

• Check video surveillance: Increases payment morale. A warning sign is mandatory, and public ground must not be recorded.

• Set up bookkeeping: Use the payment provider's transaction export. Record TWINT revenues and cash revenues separately.

• Keep the honesty box as a supplement? If yes, only as a backup for the few customers without a smartphone. Do not leave a large cash deposit in the shop.

• Test and optimize: Evaluate transactions after 4 weeks, compare shrinkage, adjust QR code placement or product list if necessary.

If you are looking for a QR payment solution without hardware, Payrexx QR Pay offers a variation specifically suitable for small amounts and self-service: 1.25% + CHF 0.00 per transaction (Visa cooperation), plus TWINT, credit cards, and mobile wallets via a hosted payment page.

The Free plan costs nothing per month; prices and products can be adjusted online at any time. Via payment links and payment pages, even farm shops without a website and without technical knowledge can collect cashless payments in just a few minutes. Find out more at payrexx.com/products/qr-pay.