Business News in English

Homebuyers still benefit financially from energy-efficient homes

Homebuyers continue to pay a premium for energy-efficient properties following the energy crisis. An analysis by Brainbay, the data subsidiary of the NVM real estate association, shows that this price...

Why do we love saving money so much? In other countries, they just shrug at sales

Consumer psychologist Patrick Wessels explains why Dutch people have a strong cultural tendency to participate in supermarket savings programs and bonus deals. The analysis explores the psychological ...

Higher youth wages may increase the cost of groceries and dining out

The increase in the minimum youth wage in the Netherlands is expected to lead to higher prices in supermarkets and the hospitality industry. Research from Rabobank suggests that economists do not anti...

Healthy lifestyle boosts Heineken beer sales: non-alcoholic beer drives sales growth

Heineken reported an increase in global beer sales, driven significantly by the rising popularity of non-alcoholic and specialty beers. The Dutch brewer experienced particularly strong growth in the A...

Bicycle manufacturer Accell falters: parent company of Babboe, Batavus and Sparta granted payment deferral in the Netherlands

Experts criticize sale of rental properties: 'Government has smoked out the rental sector'

Two years after the implementation of the Affordable Rent Act in the Netherlands, experts observe that landlords are selling off their properties en masse. Critics argue that government policies have ...

Number of fast-food outlets in the Netherlands has doubled, Haarlem now has 220

The number of fast-food establishments in the Netherlands has doubled since 2007, according to data from Statistics Netherlands. Specifically, the city of Haarlem now hosts 220 such outlets, which ali...

Cyberattack on partner of bol and Bijenkorf: customer data potentially exposed

Logistics company CEVA, a partner of Bol and de Bijenkorf, has suffered a cyberattack that may have compromised customer data. Bol has confirmed that its own internal systems remain unaffected by the ...

Disney acknowledges disappointing revenue for latest Star Wars film and Moana

Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has acknowledged that the recent Star Wars film and the live-action remake of Moana have underperformed financially. The company reported that box office returns for these titl...

Dutch sustainable clothing brand MUD Jeans has gone bankrupt

The sustainable clothing brand MUD Jeans has been declared bankrupt by a court in Amsterdam. CEO Dion Vijgeboom confirmed the news, stating that the company had filed for bankruptcy itself.

Stamp savings controversy damages 'Appie's' reputation: 'Even a market leader can make a blunder'

Albert Heijn is facing criticism and potential brand damage following a controversy regarding their savings stamp program. Retail expert Paul Moers described the company's handling of the situation as...

Bijenkorf customer data potentially leaked in partner incident

Dutch department store De Bijenkorf has warned customers that personal data may have been compromised following a security incident at a logistics partner. The breach, discovered on Monday morning, po...

South Korean police raid Starbucks headquarters after Tank Day promotion

South Korean police raided the Starbucks headquarters following accusations of defamation linked to a controversial marketing campaign. The investigation stems from the company's recent 'Tank Day' pro...

Additional measures due to persistent drought: temporary dam against saltwater

The Amstel, Gooi and Vecht water board is implementing emergency measures to address persistent drought, including the construction of a temporary dam in the Muidertrekvaart near Muiden to prevent sal...

Ahold Delhaize suffers from unfavorable exchange rates

Retail group Ahold Delhaize reported a slight increase in revenue during the last quarter due to higher prices. However, growth was limited by unfavorable exchange rates and disappointing performance ...

Number of fast-food restaurants in the Netherlands nearly doubled in twenty years, Amsterdam has the most

Heineken sells more beer this year and sees revenue grow

Heineken reported an increase in beer sales volume by 1.6 percent, reaching 142.8 million hectoliters in the first half of the year. Alongside the rise in volume, the brewery also saw growth in both i...

Working one day less is cheaper, while Marijn (38) and Elise (35) didn't expect that

Marijn and Elise consulted a budget coach to discuss the feasibility of Marijn transitioning to a four-day workweek. Although they initially believed they could not afford the change, they are now exp...

Home battery and heat pump sellers use dishonest sales tactics

The Vereniging Eigen Huis reports an increase in complaints regarding aggressive door-to-door sales and misleading tactics by companies selling home batteries and heat pumps in the Netherlands. Consum...

Crypto dispute between friends escalates: Victim threatened, extorted and humiliated

A 24-year-old MMA fighter from Amsterdam and his brother are facing charges for allegedly kidnapping, threatening, and extorting an acquaintance over a cryptocurrency investment dispute. During a pro-...

Canal boat skippers forced to take exam due to stricter European rules

New European regulations now require skippers of open canal boats to pass a practical examination to ensure safety on the water. While experienced skippers can apply for exemptions based on their logg...

AEX hits another new closing record thanks to chip stocks and falling oil prices

The AEX index reached a new closing record on Tuesday, driven by strong performance from chip companies and a decrease in oil prices. The gains were supported by better-than-expected earnings results ...

Wakker Dier files complaint against world's largest insect farm over 'nonsense' green claims

Animal welfare organization Wakker Dier has filed a complaint with the Advertising Code Committee against Protix, the world's largest insect farm located in Bergen op Zoom. The organization claims tha...

McDonald's also noticing customers are becoming more frugal

McDonald's reports that it is struggling to attract customers as consumers continue to prioritize saving money. Despite offering cheap menus and discounts, the fast-food chain notes a decline in dinin...

Rabobank targets youth, AI, and the battle against neobanks with new blue app

Rabobank has launched a new blue-themed banking app specifically designed to attract younger users through gamification and personalized features. The initiative aims to compete with neobanks and incr...

Albert Heijn revamps savings stamps: one stamp now requires double the spending

Albert Heijn is significantly changing its loyalty stamp program, requiring customers to spend twice as much money to earn a single stamp. Consequently, it will take twice as long for customers to fil...

Spotify surpasses 300 million paying subscribers

Spotify reported significant growth in the second quarter of 2026, surpassing 300 million paid subscribers. This increase in the user base led to a continued rise in total revenue for the Swedish musi...

'Brabo' must help the Netherlands and Belgium achieve lower energy prices

The Netherlands and Belgium have officially launched the upgraded Brabo high-voltage power line connecting the port of Antwerp to Rilland. This project aims to increase electricity exchange between th...

After pizza and groceries, Thuisbezorgd will soon deliver flowers too

Thuisbezorgd.nl is expanding its platform to include flower delivery services. This strategic move aims to increase consumer engagement and usage of their app within the Netherlands.

Oil giants profit from Middle East unrest as profits soar

Major oil companies, including BP and Saudi Aramco, have reported significant increases in quarterly profits due to rising oil prices. These price hikes were driven by geopolitical tensions between Ir...