Nearly four in five companies in Western Europe faced with late payments, Atradius survey finds

A recent Atradius survey reveals that nearly 80% of companies in Western Europe are experiencing late payments, with trade credit now accounting for 52% of B2B transactions. This shift is attributed to restricted bank financing and rising input costs due to inflation and geopolitical tensions. Many businesses report reduced cash flow and increased reliance on costly external finance. Looking ahead, over half of the companies do not anticipate improvements in payment behavior, indicating a fragile business confidence.