The health crisis and the nursery business
The coronacrisis has caused a dramatic change in our industry. Now the BCMI members report about the current business situation resulting from the coronavirus infection in various countries. Read here in a new series of articles on how industry, retailers and consumers have been affected by the pandemic.

Part 5: Netherlands

Carola Siksma-Ruiters, editor-in-chief of Baby Wereld

How are nursery producers/distributors in your country doing right now?

“To everyone’s surprise, sales in the Netherlands have remained stable. Of course, some stores were closed but the loss of sales was compensated with online sales. Some producers/distributors experienced a significant decline in sales. There were worries about delay in deliveries from other countries who had a total lockdown. But we had no panic and, given the circumstances, the expectations are quite optimistic. Overall there is understanding for each other’s position in the crisis and people are willing to cooperate, for example to do joint promotions or agree about new payment terms.”

How has the behavior of consumers of baby products changed?

“Consumers bought more online. The drop in consumer confidence is of some concern. Slight decreases are expected, but the mood is quite positive.”

What could replace trade exhibitions in our industry this year?

“Everybody is very curious to know how big international fairs such as Kind + Jugend will proceed with the government measures, security, social distance, hygiene etc. We expect it will be a European fair only this year. In the Benelux we see that fairs are postponed or will be held in September. Smaller, national fairs will prove more attractive to visit than international fairs because they are less crowded, have more space for a distancing plan, can be reached by car, and offer the possibility to make appointments with clients. This gives people confidence!”