Between law and society – When voluntary self-regulation is more effective than regulations

1. Initial situation

Lately, we've been seeing an increasing number of teenagers and children from the surrounding area coming to buy category F1 fireworks from us – products that are permitted year-round. These include, in particular, ladycrackers and small firecrackers, which, despite their classification, still produce a certain amount of noise.

Legally speaking, the sale and use of such items is permitted in Switzerland all year round. It is therefore a completely legal process that is not subject to any official restrictions.

We have decided to restrict sales to repeat customers from the neighborhood who regularly purchase louder fireworks. In the future, we will only sell these products to such customers on December 31st or other official occasions where fireworks are socially acceptable.

We want to prevent this recurring burning from becoming a persistent and disruptive issue in the neighborhood, while at the same time promoting awareness of responsible fireworks use.

2. Voluntary decision instead of state regulation

This decision wasn't made because of a legal requirement. Nobody is forcing us to do it. It arose from the consideration that frequent use of even quiet fireworks could negatively impact the surrounding area, through noise, perception, or simply the sheer number of such events.

We know that this could eventually cause tension with the neighbors or create a negative image of our business. No one has complained yet, but we definitely don't want to reach that point.

This creates an interesting form of self-regulation. We act not out of coercion, but out of responsibility.

3. Societal pressure as invisible regulation

While government laws are often perceived as restrictions on freedom, societal regulation is rarely discussed. Yet it is more subtle, but often far more effective.

No one dictates when we can sell fireworks. But we feel the unspoken pressure, the expectations that arise from our social environment: consideration for others, awareness of noise, respect for neighbors, and consciousness of our own image.

This form of pressure doesn't arise from legal laws, but from the awareness of how our actions affect others. It is the moral and cultural dynamics of a community that shape behavior, subtly but persistently.

4. Between freedom and responsibility

Fireworks are a symbol of joy, expression, and freedom. But precisely where freedom begins, responsibility also arises.

Our decision to limit sales is therefore not a restriction of freedom, but a conscious act of balancing self-interest and the common good.
We act proactively before a conflict arises, not because we have to, but because we understand that social peace is achieved not only through laws, but also through insight and consideration.

5. A mirror for larger contexts

This example illustrates on a small scale what is often overlooked on a large scale.
Government regulations are often perceived as intrusive. Yet hardly anyone reflects on how strongly companies and individuals voluntarily adapt to societal expectations, often without coercion, simply through social dynamics.

One could say that social pressure is the quietest, but most effective form of regulation.
It shapes behavior, guides decisions, and defines what is considered right, entirely without legal texts.

6. Concluding thought

Our small decision to only sell F1 fireworks on official days is more than just an operational rule.
He stands for a principle.
Responsibility doesn't begin when something is forbidden; it begins when you know you could do something, but consciously decide not to.

This is perhaps the most honest form of regulation a society can produce.