The ongoing energy and economic crisis is evidently affecting various sectors. According to an internal survey conducted by the Cleaners’ Guild, which was reported on by the newspapers in the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” nearly two-thirds of businesses in Germany are cleaning their premises less frequently to save money.
Furthermore, 49% of surveyed companies report a noticeable decline in clientele or customer orders. An even larger segment, 65%, notes a reduction in services provided by their customers. The industrial and office/administrative sectors are the ones cutting back the most in commercial cleaning, with 26% reporting this reduction in both areas. The trade and retail sectors follow closely behind, at 21%.
The financial strain is also forcing workforce adjustments. In recent months, 29% of companies have had to lay off employees due to poor business volumes, and an additional 41% anticipate making such cuts during the current fiscal year.
The high cost of fuel is severely impacting the cleaning industry, which is highly decentralized and relies heavily on mobility. A significant 88% of businesses stated they are suffering due to the increased costs of getting around.
The Bundesinnungsverband des Gebäudereiniger-Handwerks (BIV) conducts sentiment surveys in the cleaning sector twice a year, and the mood reported this spring is decidedly poor. Only 16% of surveyed firms anticipate a positive business year, marking a three-percentage-point drop from the autumn survey. Half of the enterprises expect business to remain stable, while a concerning 34% project negative expectations for 2026. Overall, these figures represent the most pessimistic mood observed since the beginning of the BIV’s economic surveys.
Looking ahead to 2027, the outlook remains critical, a sentiment mirrored in the perception of the government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). On the “Satisfaction Scale” ranging from 1 to 10, the federal government scored only 3.7 points. The Guild suggested that a key factor contributing to this low score is the desire for swift changes concerning social contributions.
The Guild Master, Thomas Dietrich, stated that proposals for the healthcare system were submitted in March, with pension reform ideas expected in June. He stressed that the government is now tasked with acting consistently and rapidly. He emphasized that the structure of the social security systems is central to the future of the economic location and the credibility of the governing coalition.