Economy: small and medium-sized enterprises increasingly in difficulty

Lower the curtain, stop its activity for lack of financial means. In several sectors, while companies had been very protected during the Covid crisis, business failures rise again: + 43.6% over a year. Difficult for Juliette to return to her old shop in Touquet (Pas-de-Calais). For 14 years, she managed this home ready-to-wear brand, but last September she had no choice but to sell her business.

55,000 business failures expected this year

The fault, according to her, to the closures imposed during the epidemic. With a loan guaranteed by the State of 39,000 euros to repay, debts and fixed costs increasingly difficult to assume, impossible according to her, to continue her activity. Like her in recent months, small and medium-sized businesses are more and more in difficulty, mainly in the agri-food, hotel, catering and trade sectors. In total, at least 55,000 business failures are expected this year, a figure that is back to 2018 levels.