Worst “Back to School Period” since 2009… Record Number of Business Failures

CRISIS: An Altares report highlights the “uncertainty” surrounding the French economy to explain the 6,800 business failures recorded in September

This is a worrying economic statistic. According to a report from the Altares group published Monday, a total of 6,800 business failures were recorded in France in September, which constitutes the worst “back-to-school period” since 2009.

The study counts 14,371 open collective procedures for the entire third quarter, a record for this period, an increase of 5.2% year-on-year. Altares highlights “uncertainty” surrounding the French economy, as well as “sluggish” household consumption.

The manufacturing industry particularly affected

It is the manufacturing industry which seems to be the most affected with a jump of 17% compared to the third half of 2024. Small businesses with 10 to 19 employees are also those that see their number of failures increase most spectacularly, with an increase of 13%.

And nearly one in six business leaders with fewer than 10 employees say they are thinking of ceasing their activity by the end of the year, already revealed a study by the independent workers’ union (SDI), published Thursday. Another worrying trend according to Altares, failures of structures created more than fifteen years ago are increasing sharply (18%).

More than 1.1 million businesses created over one year

The study notes, however, that a third of failing companies are subject to recovery judgments, an increasing proportion. These procedures can help maintain activity or preserve certain activities jobs among the 52,000 threatened this quarter by failures.

According to the National Institute of Statistics (Insee), more than ’1.1 million businesses were created at the end of August 2025, over twelve rolling months.