Dutch companies’ response to a gradual decline in payment morale of B2B customers during the past months was sharper focus on working capital management.
The Atradius Payment Practices Barometer is an annual survey of business-to-business (B2B) payment practices in markets across the world. Its findings can give valuable insights into the current dynamics of corporate payment behaviour in B2B trade. It can also help companies doing business, or planning to do so, in the markets polled to identify emerging future trends in the payment practices of B2B customers.
The 2023 Payment Practices Barometer survey for the Netherlands was conducted between the end of Q1 and the beginning of Q2 2023. Its findings should therefore be viewed with this in mind.
Key takeaways from the report for the Netherlands
Sharper focus on working capital management amid heightened credit risk
- Record levels inflation was the crucial factor affecting B2B payment trends for companies polled in the Netherlands during the past 12 months. Rising energy and input costs, as well as the ending of pandemic financial support, caused a deterioration of the credit risk landscape in the country’s business environment, particularly across energy-intensive sectors. A longer wait to receive overdue payments meant a greater risk of cash shortfalls.
- To minimise the threat of cashflow issues, many Dutch companies polled said they were reluctant to invest, contributing to a slowdown of industrial activity with the potential to affect economic growth.
Rising optimism about B2B payment behaviour as inflation worry lingers
- The potential impact of inflation on business investment, and how it weighs on industrial activity and overall economic growth, is the major concern looking ahead for companies polled in the Netherlands. Although inflation is now falling, especially due to lower energy prices, companies polled in our survey are worried that prices are at a structurally higher level and fear this has, or will have, a large impact on purchasing power.
- Dutch businesses also expressed anxiety about the availability and costs of finance and commodities, as well as about cash flow issues, liquidity shortfalls and global trade challenging conditions.
Interested in finding out more?
Please download the full report for a complete overview of the 2023 survey findings of the Atradius Payment Practices Barometer for the Netherlands.
For a complete overview of the survey results for Western Europe, please download the full report available in the Related documents section below. The Statistical Appendix to the regional report is also available for download in the section below.
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