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The price increases as a result of the war in Ukraine are increasingly weighing on SMEs, according to the seventh. Small Business Index. In the second quarter of 2022, there was a visible increase in operating results, but now we are seeing a decline in business confidence and a difficult recovery for certain sectors after the corona pandemic. Entrepreneurs are also increasingly willing to invest in their business to stay afloat.

To give you an insight into the current status of SMEs in the Netherlands, we describe the most important results of the research in this blog.

Tough weather for entrepreneurs

In addition to the fact that a large part of the Dutch population has less financial space due to high energy prices, more and more entrepreneurs are also finding themselves in the eye of the storm. The results of the Small Business Index show that almost six out of ten entrepreneurs are unable or only partially to pass on energy prices. Furthermore, 57% of entrepreneurs experience disrupted supply or sales of services or products. 53% of entrepreneurs also say they are not prepared for unforeseen financial shortages.

For companies that have been severely affected by the corona pandemic, such as the cultural sector and the hospitality industry, it is extra difficult to recover in the current crisis. Furthermore, only 43% of small entrepreneurs earn more than the minimum wage and 33% are even below the social assistance level.

It is therefore not surprising that a lot of criticism is from entrepreneurs about the support measures that the cabinet has presented for companies. A large number of entrepreneurs indicate that the threshold for eligibility for government aid is too high.

Willingness to invest grows

The survey also shows that there is a growing willingness among many companies to invest extra. In particular, additional capital that can be used to reduce energy consumption and generate green energy is very popular. Many entrepreneurs opt for a business loan to make their business more sustainable. When you reduce your company's environmental footprint, you have more financial space to grow your business. For example, you can make your business premises more sustainable by renovating or purchasing sustainable inventory and machines. You could also purchase a sustainably driving business car for a green stamp on your company.

A helping hand

A Qeld business loan is highly recommended if you want to grow or make your business more sustainable. Our business loans are clear, fast and hassle-free. An application is free, 100% non-binding and the loan is paid out the same day. In addition, our Trustpilot score of 4.8/5 shows that our customers are very satisfied with our business loans and service.

Do you want to give your company a boost during these tough times? It only takes 1 minute to apply for a business loan. Fill in your details on the right and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

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