Dutch company bankruptcies rise slightly in May as hospitality sector struggles

The number of company bankruptcies in the Netherlands rose slightly in May 2025 compared with the previous year, according to data released by CBS. The hospitality sector showed the highest bankruptcy rate.

A total of 352 businesses were declared bankrupt last month after adjusting for court session days, an increase of eight bankruptcies, or 2 percent, from May 2024. Compared to April 2025, bankruptcies increased by 6 percent.

The bankruptcy rate in May was 9.6 per 100,000 companies, nearly unchanged from 9.5 per 100,000 companies a year earlier. This remains low compared with historical highs: the bankruptcy rate peaked at 24.8 per 100,000 companies in March 2015, then steadily declined to a record low of 3.4 in August 2021. It climbed again through 2024 but has since stabilized at a relatively low level.

Among specific sectors, hospitality had the highest bankruptcy rate. In April 2025, more than 34 out of every 100,000 hospitality businesses filed for bankruptcy, up from nearly 26 per 100,000 in the same month last year. These sector figures have not been adjusted for court session days.

Since March 2025, the statistics agency has focused its reporting on year-over-year developments and the bankruptcy rate, which is the number of bankruptcies per 100,000 companies. This rate reportedly offers a clearer view of bankruptcy trends, especially since the total number of companies fluctuates over time and varies widely across industries.

The slight increase in bankruptcies reportedly reflects uneven economic conditions affecting different industries. CBS stated that while sectors such as hospitality face challenges, the broader Dutch business landscape remains relatively stable.