It’s worth asking: Can I still use expired coupons?

When do coupons expire?

“Coupons can’t expire, can they?” a colleague asked. he asks. He nodded hesitantly. “So what are the expiration dates written on?” I shrug. We observant journalists do what we always do when we have sketchy information: we go to the information center.

Legal expert Julia Gubler explains it to us this way: “Some providers run discount campaigns or give away free coupons. These may be given any binding expiration date.” It is unclear whether this also applies to purchased vouchers. “There isn’t a federal court order because it’s really not worth filing a lawsuit for such small amounts,” Gubler says.

However, most lawyers agree that the statute of limitations is valid according to the Code of Obligations (OR). In other words: Coupons for smaller goods are valid for five years, coupons for larger services are valid for ten years (see box). In 2020, a court in the canton of Solothurn confirmed that shorter periods were not allowed: two vouchers for a hot air balloon ride were declared valid for ten years.

Respect for the person who goes to the cantonal court with an expired coupon. Most of us are afraid of the idea of ​​picking up a phone. But that’s exactly what we’re doing now, asking companies if our unused coupons are still accepted. You see: investigative journalism is very important for the observer.

Use expired coupons – a do-it-yourself experiment

We’ll start with those that can be amortized over five years according to OR. Both have a shorter deadline written on them.

• 100 francs in a restaurant chain, No release date specified, expires in 2023. → The coupon remains valid, but it is recommended to make a note when booking.
• 1 massage, Published in 2018, ended in 2020. → Coupon can be extended over the phone.

Of course, the experiment we call special persons must be original. According to OR, we continue with coupons that can be used for ten years.

• 1 movie ticket, Publication date unknown, expired in 2018. → The coupon can be changed without any problems.
• Entrance to 1 Turkish bath, Published in 2017, ends in 2022. → They say on the phone that these coupons are valid for ten years and that printing them was a mistake.
• Climbing the summit with a mountain guide, Published in 2012, ended in 2015. → Hearty laughter, a constructive solution: The coupon can still be used, but an additional fee must be paid because the offer is now more expensive.

The longer the date of issue, the greater the embarrassment during the search. Pandemic, a baby, a dying cat; no excuse is too stupid for us. Those invited respond with understanding, joy and surprise: “Expired coupons are usually thrown away. “Buyers never even think of asking us,” says one company.

We were a little surprised: All those that were no longer receipts became fixed receipts. “Many coupon issuers are not even aware of the legal deadlines. So when you bring it to their attention, they often react in a conciliatory way,” says legal expert Julia Gubler.

Valid in case of change of ownership or termination of business

So what happens when a new owner takes over the business? “If he takes over the company with all existing claims and debts, the vouchers remain valid,” Gubler says. Otherwise, the money may be claimed from the previous owner. But in practice this is often hopeless because it can no longer be found.

In case of bankruptcy or dissolution of the company, the coupons expire; so I can finally forget about the cake cafe and the cosmetics studio. The only exception is sole proprietorships: the owner remains personally liable until the deadline has passed. You can find out which form a company has received on the Zefix.ch website.

Sometimes we are lucky, sometimes we are unlucky:

• 1 private tennis lesson, It was printed in 2012, no expiration date is printed. → The tennis school no longer exists, the center has a new owner. But he’s happy and offers four people an hour of play time.
• Overnight at a Freiburg hotel and spa, Published in 2014, ended in 2015. → Can no longer be used. You do not have access to vouchers before the change of ownership.

A defeat can be overcome. Satisfied, we promise to improve our coupons and bring them back home. We won’t reveal where they ended up.