Billions of debts of small shops. Will the deposit system kill trade?

The debt of the trade industry has increased to PLN 2.6 billion, of which more than half are liabilities of sole proprietorships (JDG), according to KRD data. Small stores are additionally burdened by the new deposit system, the introduction of which may affect their competitiveness.

The National Debt Register indicates that in December last year the debts of the entire trade industry amounted to PLN 2.4 billion, and currently they exceed PLN 2.6 billion. The wholesale trade owes over PLN 1.6 billion, and the retail trade owes PLN 1 billion. The average debtor's liability also increased and amounts to PLN 42.4 thousand. zloty.

JDGs from the trading industry are increasing their debt. Specialized stores and wholesalers, including: food, agricultural and home appliances companies have PLN 510.3 million in arrears, and retail sales of food, beverages and other products have PLN 681.4 million in arrears.

Adam Łącki, president of KRD, quoted in the report, emphasizes that the deteriorating financial situation is reflected in the growing number of insolvencies. Until the end of September this year. bankruptcy and restructuring was 6 percent. more than in the whole of 2023. At the same time, the number of debtors is decreasing – by nearly 3,000. within three years – which may mean that some companies coped with their problems, but the most indebted ones fell into even greater difficulties. The average debt of JDG increased during this time from PLN 26.6 thousand. PLN to 35.6 thousand zloty.

KRD reminds that in October, a deposit system was added to the challenges of companies from the commercial sector, which is intended to increase the level of recycling and reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. Customers will pay a refundable deposit when purchasing plastic bottles up to 3 liters, aluminum cans up to 1 liter and reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters. Only large stores with an area exceeding 200 square meters that sell products in such packaging are obliged to join the system and conduct collection. Smaller stores must only accept reusable glass bottles if they offer them. In the case of sales of other products covered by the deposit, their participation in the system is voluntary.

As the Polish Chamber of Commerce points out, if the store does not join the program, customers will have one more reason to choose large outlets for convenience. Taking into account the experience of other countries, he predicts that the decline in revenues may be as much as 30%.

Meanwhile, small retail stores already owe PLN 681.4 million to creditors. There are over 22,000 of them in KRD, and the average debt is almost PLN 30,000. zloty. The record holder collected over PLN 3 million in debt. However, even a temporary loss of financial liquidity may pose a threat to a small business, which is why companies are looking for a way to avoid problems.

In turn, sole proprietorship companies engaged in wholesale trade collected PLN 759.6 million in arrears in unpaid liabilities. There are almost 17.9 thousand of them in the KRD, and the record holder has PLN 6.8 million to repay.

The largest arrears among commercial JDGs occur in Mazovia – PLN 250.4 million. The next places are taken by Silesia (PLN 195.5 million) and Greater Poland (PLN 158.1 million). The least indebted are companies from the Opole, Podlasie and Świętokrzyskie regions. The main creditors remain financial institutions that are trying to recover over PLN 1 billion. Creditors also include other trading companies, telecoms and energy suppliers. At the same time, retailers themselves have to recover PLN 131.4 million, mainly from other trading, construction and industrial processing companies.

The National Debt Register (KRD) is a database that collects information on the debts of individuals and companies. (PAP)

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