In 2025, about 188,000 companies in Germany ceased operations — 10 % more than the previous year and the highest number in nearly two decades. According to the Creditreform agency, not only businesses with financial problems but also companies with average or good creditworthiness are now going bankrupt.
Experts note that the crisis dynamics have already affected virtually the entire economy.
At the same time, only about 13% of the companies that closed were officially declared bankrupt. Most ceased operations voluntarily. Among the reasons cited by experts are rising costs, a shortage of personnel, technological changes, and increased competition.
A separate problem is the generational shift: nearly a third of voluntary closures are due to owners retiring and not finding successors.
The number of companies has declined most significantly in traditional industries. Approximately 11,000 enterprises closed in the industrial sector, 24,000 in construction, and 15,000 in the hotel and restaurant business. On average, this corresponds to about 21 company closures per hour.
#Germany #crisis
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