# Bankruptcies up 27% in October as 322 businesses fail

> Statistics Netherlands (CBS) says 69 more businesses went bankrupt in October 2026 than a year earlier, with hospitality and industry hit hardest relative to their size.

Economy · published 2026-11-12 05:54 · https://nlnow.nl/a/bankruptcies-up-27-in-october-as-322-businesses-fail/

In October 2026, 322 businesses were declared bankrupt, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports. That is 69 more than a year earlier and one more than in September.

The bankruptcy rate, the number of bankruptcies per 100,000 businesses, was 8.5 in October, up from 6.8 a year earlier. Since mid-2025 the rate has fluctuated around 7 to 8.

CBS has calculated the rate since 2015. It peaked at 24.8 in March 2015 and hit a low of 3.4 in August 2021. It then rose until 2024, stabilised, and fell slightly in 2025.

## Industry sees the biggest rise

Relative to the number of firms, hospitality had the most bankruptcies in October: 25.1 per 100,000 hospitality businesses, against 23.3 a year earlier. The rate in industry rose the most, from 19.5 to 24.8 per 100,000 industrial businesses.

Transport and storage went from 19.2 to 21.2, and trade from 11.5 to 14.2. Information and communication rose from 5.6 to 8.7. In construction the rate fell, from 14.0 to 12.5.

Across all sectors, the uncorrected rate was 8.1 in October, against 6.6 a year earlier. CBS notes that sector figures are not corrected for court session days.

**Industry saw the sharpest rise in bankruptcy rate among the sectors shown** (bankruptcies per 100,000 businesses; source: CBS)

- Hospitality: 23.3 to 25.1
- Industry: 19.5 to 24.8
- Transport and storage: 19.2 to 21.2
- Trade: 11.5 to 14.2
- Construction: 14 to 12.5
- Information and communication: 5.6 to 8.7

## Background

- **CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek)**: Statistics Netherlands, the independent government body that produces the official statistics on the Dutch economy and society.

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