‘Wave of bankruptcies’ in Germany
Germany’s retail and wholesale landscape has been facing a sharp rise in business insolvencies, with traditional, long-established companies particularly affected. According to figures from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, the number of corporate bankruptcies increased by more than 18% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier. Smaller, family-run businesses have been especially impacted by changing consumer behaviour and rising costs. Against this backdrop, a long-established flower wholesaler in Hamburg has now ceased…