Over 9.5 thousand bankruptcies filed in 2011
- Fewer business bankruptcies, more individual bankruptcies
- More bankruptcies in sector hotels and restaurants
According to the latest figures released by Statistics Netherlands, 9,531 bankruptcies were filed last year, approximately as many as in 2010.
Nearly 6.2 thousand business bankruptcies (excluding one-man businesses) were filed, 1 percent down on 2010. The number of individual bankruptcies increased by nearly 2 percent to 2.4 thousand. The number of bankruptcies in the category one-man businesses dropped marginally by 2 percent.
Owing to the recession, individual bankruptcies reached the highest level ever in 2009, i.e. more than 10 thousand. Although the number declined somewhat in the years thereafter, it remained high in a historical perspective.
The business bankruptcy rate in the sector hotels and restaurants grew considerably by 28 percent in 2011 relative to 2010. Restaurants, snack bars, cafeterias and pubs were hit hardest. The number of business bankruptcies declined most in the sector transport, storage and communication (– 14 percent).
Individual bankruptcies grew by nearly 2 percent in 2011 from 2010. The most dramatic increase was recorded in the province of Flevoland, both in absolute and relative (per 10 thousand residents) terms.
Proportionally, the number of individual bankruptcies was lowest in the province of Friesland (0.8 per 10 thousand residents) and highest in the province of Overijssel (3.8 per 10 thousand residents).