Netherlands

Three creditors of Mirage Retail Group, the bankrupt parent of bankrupt household chain Blokker, have claimed the stores of retail chain Minso Nederland, according to bankruptcy administrator Job van Hooff, NL Times reported. Miniso is the only part of the group that is not yet bankrupt, and may be able to generate money for the creditors. Miniso is a Chinese retail formula that has grown to over 7,000 branches worldwide since its foundation in 2023. The retail formula was introduced in the Netherlands five years ago under Mirage Retail Group as the franchisee.
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The number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands stayed at the same level in January as it was in the previous month when corrected for court hearing days, NLTimes.com reported. Statistics Netherlands reported that the number of bankruptcies was below the same time as last year. There was a significant increase in the number of bankruptcies in 2024. Statistics Netherlands reported last month that almost 4,300 companies were declared bankrupt. That is an increase of 30 percent compared to 2023. Monthly figures can fluctuate.
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The Dutch government is seeking to prevent the rollout of "buy now, pay later" services in physical retail outlets due to the financial risks they pose for consumers, according to a letter sent by Finance Minister Eelco Heinen to parliament on Tuesday, Reuters reported. "Buy now, pay later" (BNPL) schemes surged in popularity for online purchases since the COVID-19 pandemic and allows consumers to split payments over time into smaller, interest-free installments. These loans are often provided by digital lenders such as Sweden's Klarna.
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The Casbit Group, previously the operator of Lalabet and JungliWin online casinos, has been declared bankrupt by the Court of Curaçao, World Casino News reported. The company’s financial troubles stem from numerous unpaid debts, including €619,500 owed to Dutch gamblers who were unable to claim their winnings. After ceasing operations in Curaçao earlier this year, the group’s casinos are now under the management of a Costa Rican company.

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Another well-known Dutch cycling manufacturer has filed for bankruptcy, the NL Times reported. Cargoroo, who sold electric shared cargo bikes, declared bankruptcy at the court in Amsterdam on Tuesday. It was reported last week that the e-bike brand Amslod was the last company to file for bankruptcy. The court in Amsterdam will declare Cargoroo bankrupt this week, Utrecht alderman Senna Maatoug (Mobility) expects. Bikes made by Cargoroo have been taken off the streets in Utrecht and cannot be booked anymore, she wrote in a letter to the municipal council.

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Vinylrecycling, a Dutch PVC recycler previously known as BessTrade, announced it filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 19, SustainablePlastics.com reported. The recycler operates two plants within walking distance of each other in Lelystad, the Netherlands. The sites have a processing capacity of 20,000 to 30,000 tonnes/year of PVC waste and produce regrind and pellets of plasticised and rigid PVC, as well as micronised powder rPVC. Vinylrecycling is in a legal battle with the Netherlands Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) over PVC exports to third countries.
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Advent International is considering reviving the sale of Dutch medical supplier Mediq as the private equity firm looks to cash out from the business, Bloomberg News reported. The US buyout firm is speaking to potential advisers and could seek a valuation of about €1 billion ($1.1 billion) for Utrecht-based Mediq, the people said. An auction process could be launched in the first half of next year, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. Deliberations are preliminary and Advent could still opt to keep the asset for longer, the people said.
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Cosmetics chain The Body Shop has been declared bankrupt by the court, according to a notification in the Central Insolvency Register, the NL Times reported. In a statement on Facebook, the chain itself speaks of a bankruptcy in the Netherlands. The stores will remain open for the time being, while a bankruptcy administrator investigates whether there are possibilities for a restart. The Body Shop filed for bankruptcy and it was declared by the District Court for Midden-Nederland on Tuesday. The Body Shop is registered in Weesp, which is officially part of Amsterdam.
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