7.5 percent drop in industry sales, food sector grows

In the second quarter of 2023, the industry experienced a 7.5 percent drop in sales compared to the same period the year before. After two years of steady growth, recent CBS figures show this surprising decline. This decline is visible in both domestic (-3.2%) and foreign (-10.1%) sales. At the same time, sales prices were down 3.4 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively.

A striking trend is the increase in bankruptcies. In the second quarter of 2023, 62 bankruptcies were declared within the industry, an increase of 23 bankruptcies compared to 2022. Yet there was also a glimmer of light. The food and beverage industry saw 2.7 percent growth in their sales. 

Turnover expectations for third quarter flat

Expectations for the third quarter are subdued. Only half a percent of business owners expect an increase in their sales, a sharp drop from the 7 percent who expected this last year. In addition, 8 percent of business owners expect to hire more staff in the coming quarter, down from 19 percent last year.

Cbs.nl

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