Business News in English

DPG Media revenue grows to 2 billion, partly thanks to RTL acquisition

DPG Media reported a record revenue of over 2 billion euros in 2025, marking the first time the company has reached this milestone. The growth was primarily driven by the acquisition of RTL Nederland,...

Energy inflation rises further due to war: Pump prices remain high

Inflation rose to 2.7% in March, driven by higher energy prices resulting from conflict in the Middle East. Economists warn that this trend may continue, with inflation potentially exceeding 3% due to...

Port workers to strike for at least five days over government plans

Port workers across the Netherlands are planning to strike for at least five days to protest against government plans regarding social security. The industrial action is driven by dissatisfaction with...

Petrol prices drive up inflation and will rise further: ‘Manufacturers passing on energy costs’

Inflation rose significantly in March, primarily driven by increasing petrol and energy prices. Experts warn that this upward trend is expected to continue as manufacturers pass on their rising energy...

Customer data from booking sites Vacanceselect and Eurocamp stolen in data breach

Customer data from booking platforms Vacanceselect and Eurocamp has been stolen in a data breach, impacting customers of the holiday provider Roan. Both companies confirmed the incident on their websi...

Unilever sells brands like Calvé, Knorr and Unox to American company

Unilever has reached an agreement to sell a major part of its food division, including brands such as Calvé, Knorr, and Unox, to the American company McCormick. The deal involves a combination of sto...

Why Unilever wants to sell its iconic Dutch brand Calvé and what it means for our peanut butter

Unilever is in advanced negotiations to sell its food division, including the iconic Dutch brand Calv, to the American company McCormick. The potential deal, which could be finalized as early as Tues...

Shareholders block conversion of Concertgebouw into charitable foundation

Wages to rise sharply in 2026: ‘High labor costs a concern for entrepreneurs’

Wages in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector rose by 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2026, marking the sharpest increase in years. This significant rise has prompted concerns among busine...

Food authority closes restaurant on Javastraat due to rat infestation

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has closed a restaurant on Javastraat in Amsterdam after social media footage showed rats in food containers and kitchen equipment. In...

Investigative media release audio recording of Szijjártó and Lavrov

Investigations by media outlets The Insider and Frontstory reveal that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó collaborated with Russia to remove oligarchs from European sanction lists. The repo...

Air Canada CEO resigns over poor French skills

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau is resigning following backlash over his poor French language skills. The controversy erupted after he used only two words of French in a condolence message, which the ...

Ajax spent €21.5 million on football agents last season

Ajax spent 21.5 million euros on football agents during the 2024-2025 season, the highest amount of any professional club in the Netherlands. This expenditure underscores the significant financial rol...

Garden center Osdorp to leave city on its own initiative

KLM sells catering subsidiary

KLM has reached an agreement to sell its catering subsidiary, KLM Catering Services, to Gategroup. The sale is part of the airline's ongoing strategy to implement cost-saving measures across the compa...

Many homeowners with interest-only mortgages may face trouble: ‘Undermines housing security’

The Dutch Homeowners Association warns that many homeowners with interest-only mortgages may face financial difficulties due to stricter bank policies. These regulatory changes could potentially under...

Deal between Unilever food division and McCormick may be announced Tuesday

Unilever and the American spice company McCormick are in advanced talks regarding a merger of Unilever's food business operations. A formal announcement about the potential deal could be made as early...

New homes needed, but no carpenters or bricklayers to be found: ‘Not enough young people for vacancies’

Nearly three-quarters of construction employers in the Netherlands are struggling to find workers as the number of retirees outpaces new talent entering the field. This labor shortage is creating a si...

Dutch Consumers' Association calls on Albert Heijn to end bulk-buy discounts

The Dutch Consumers' Association is urging supermarket chain Albert Heijn to end bulk discounts that encourage overconsumption and unnecessary spending. The group is particularly focused on stopping t...

Dutch shop slightly less online in 2025: 35.7 billion spent

Dutch consumers spent 35.7 billion euros on online purchases last year, representing a 1 percent decrease compared to the previous year. This slight decline reflects a shift in shopping habits across ...

Consumers spend less online on travel and events

Dutch consumers are spending less money online on travel and events according to the industry association Thuiswinkel.org. While overall online shopping remains high, there has been a notable shift in...

Osdorp Garden Centre leaves city to make way for housing

Tuincentrum Osdorp is set to move out of Amsterdam's Nieuw-West district to make way for a new residential neighborhood and retail space. The popular 66-year-old family business expects to relocate to...

Inflation rises to 2.7 percent in March due to higher energy prices

Inflation in the Netherlands rose to 2.7% in March, up from 2.4% in February, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The increase in the cost of living was primarily drive...

Taylor Swift sued for 'Showgirl' trademark infringement

Taylor Swift is being sued for trademark infringement and unfair competition by former Las Vegas showgirl Maren Wade over the album title 'The Life of a Showgirl.' The lawsuit, reported by The Hollywo...

Council approves Geesterheem and housing at De Kuil: 'Want residents to be able to stay in Uitgeest, even as they age and need care'

The municipal executive has approved plans by ViVa! Zorggroep and developer De Realisatie to build the new Geesterheem care facility and additional housing at De Kuil. The project is designed to ensur...

Shell companies, fake invoices and obscured transactions: how drug money is laundered in personal budget healthcare

Organized crime is increasingly using the Dutch personal budget (PGB) healthcare sector as a conduit for laundering drug money. Criminals exploit fragmented supervision through the use of phantom comp...

One sustainable, the other plant-based: chocolate makers join forces in Amsterdam factory

Entrepreneurs affected by fire find support in each other and receive help through crowdfunding

Hospitality entrepreneurs affected by a devastating fire at Nieuwe Hemweg in Amsterdam-West are supporting each other while seeking financial aid through crowdfunding. The blaze destroyed two building...

62 million euros for new GVB ferries: ‘Crowds are increasing, short-term investments needed’

Egg-phone case with egg cup for Easter breakfast, but how do you ban phones from the table? ‘People find it bothersome’

Albert Heijn has launched a unique phone case with an integrated egg cup to encourage families to put their phones away during Easter breakfast. While the supermarket chain intends for the gadget to f...