Slightly more bankruptcies in 2022, but still very few due to corona support

That is the second lowest number since the start of statistics in 1981. This is partly because companies were still able to use corona support measures at the beginning of 2022.

Only in 2021 was the number of bankruptcies even lower. Then 1818 companies went bankrupt. The peak in the number of bankruptcies, 9431 in total, was reached during the euro crisis in 2013. Compared to 2021, the number of bankruptcies was 18 percent higher last year.

According to Statistics Netherlands, 34 companies went bankrupt in December 2022, increasing the number of bankruptcies for the fourth month in a row. Over the past four months, according to Statistics Netherlands, the number of bankruptcies increased to the highest level after May 2020, but remained relatively low.

As in previous years, trade was the industry in 2022 in which the most bankruptcies were declared, namely 428. This was followed by the construction industry with 341. That is not surprising, because both sectors are among the largest industries.

More companies went bankrupt in almost all industries than in 2021. In absolute terms, the increase in the number of bankruptcies was also strongest in trade, followed by industry. There was also an increase in the retail and wholesale trade. The car trade recorded a small decline.

In three-quarters of all provinces, more companies were declared bankrupt in 2022 than in 2021. The largest increase was in South Holland with 94 companies. The increase was 93 in both provinces of North Holland and North Brabant. The provinces of South Holland, North Brabant and North Holland had the most bankruptcies, but also the most companies.

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