More than 66,000 French companies closed their doors in 2024 and economists anticipate a further deterioration in the situation in 2025.
2024 was a dark year for businesses, 2025 is expected to be even worse. This is a summary of the gloomy observation made on Wednesday by economists from the BPCE banking group.
According to this provisional annual report, some 66,422 French companies closed their doors in 2024 (+28% compared to 2019), for approximately 260,000 jobs impacted. “2024 is the worst year we have seen since 2010, in terms of business failures”, summarizes Alain Tourdjman, the director of economic studies at BPCE, in Les Échos.
“What is serious is the fact that these failures have been largely concentrated on SMEs and ETIs”, he emphasizes. Without sparing, moreover, companies established for a long time on the market.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Real estate and construction are the sectors most affected by insolvencies (17,538, +36% compared to 2019), followed by real estate agencies (+225%).
In large cities
Agriculture, IT, road transport, taxis and VTCs are also experiencing difficulties.
The Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Midi-Pyrénées, Île-de-France and Rhône-Alpes regions have been particularly affected in recent months, mainly in large cities. And a new record could be broken this year.
240,000 jobs threatened
BPCE economists are predicting large-scale bankruptcies in 2025, 68,000, “an all-time high”. 240,000 jobs could thus be threatened. Analysts are indeed anticipating sluggish growth and mixed household and business investment.
At the same time, “more than half of VSEs and SMEs believe that political uncertainty has a strong impact on their economic activity, with a major effect on investment and hiring projects”, notes Alain Tourdjman, in La Tribune.
But all the ingredients are there for instability to continue in the coming months, at the top of the State.