Switzerland sees renewed growth in bankruptcies

Q3 2022 saw the number of bankruptcies across the whole of Switzerland increase by 19.1% in comparison with the same quarter of 2021. In percentage terms, the sharpest rises were recorded in the Cantons of Freiburg (+211.9%), Valais (+117.5%), Schwyz (+85.2%), Graubünden (77.8) and Ticino (+64.3%). On the other hand, fewer bankruptcy proceedings were filed in some cantons in this period, e.g., the Cantons of Uri, Jura and Geneva.

Most bankruptcy proceedings were filed in the construction industry (289), followed by wholesale trade (188) and the food and drink sector (152). In wholesale trade, for example, this represented a rise of 56.7% compared with the same quarter of 2021.

Similar percentage increases in the number of bankruptcy proceedings were also reported by architectural and engineering firms (+88.9%), the real estate sector (+47.5%) and retail trade (45.2%). 

Slight growth in new business start-ups

11,645 companies were set up in Switzerland in the Q3 2022. This represents an increase of 3% compared with the same quarter of 2021. 6,669 businesses were removed from the Business Register during the same period, which is 2.6% more than in Q3 2021.

Most of the new entries were in the Cantons of Zurich (2,208), Vaud (1,158) and Geneva (928). The Canton of Zurich recorded the highest growth of all the cantons, at 9.1%. The number of new start-ups in the Cantons of Solothurn (+30.9%), Ticino (+10.7%) and Aargau (9.1%) was also well above the Swiss average.

A look at the individual sectors reveals that start-ups were most common in the retail trade sector (1,002), followed by the management consultancy sector (894) and the construction industry (841). In comparison with Q3 2021, however, the number of new start-ups in retail trade and the construction industry has in fact fallen.

About the survey

We have taken into consideration all those businesses that were entered in the Business Register for the first time in the period from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022, as well as companies that filed bankruptcy proceedings and all those firms that were removed from the Business Register in the same period. A business may, for example, be removed automatically on compulsory liquidation, on the discontinuation of bankruptcy proceedings, at the end of the liquidity period, in the event of a merger or when a company is closed in the absence of any succession arrangement.

The full analysis can be requested from presse.ch@crif.com.