The Swiss market is sophisticated, quality-conscious, and competitive. Many consumers prefer to buy Swiss products and Swiss brands that they associate with high quality, even if these items are more expensive than comparable foreign goods. This is especially true for agricultural goods, which can make it challenging for foreign agricultural products to compete in the Swiss market. The government imposes high tariffs on agricultural goods such as dairy and meat to protect domestic farmers; tariff rates on non-agricultural goods are much lower and will be abolished as of January 1, 2024 due to amendments to the Customs Tariff Act that would abolish tariffs on all industrial imports, while leaving agricultural tariffs unchanged. The elimination of industrial tariffs is expected to remove duties that currently apply to almost 26 % of U.S. non-agricultural exports to Switzerland. Switzerland has generally harmonized its regulations and standards with those of the EU, with some exceptions for pharmaceuticals, detergents, and chemicals.