The number of market traders continues to decrease. In ten years, 15 percent of entrepreneurs have given up. According to figures from the Chamber of Commerce, that is around 2000.

And what is striking: Market stalls with products such as textiles, bed linen, clothing, shoes, watches, flowers/plants, garden items and second-hand goods, the so-called no food. In this way, the goods market seems to become more and more a market with mainly foodstuffs such as cheese, bread, vegetables, fish and nuts.

The market researcher GfK also has figures that will not really make the market happy. A third of Dutch households are currently visiting the market to buy groceries. “If you compare that with the past: in 2012 it was still 40 percent and in 2008 47 percent of households went to the market,” says GfK. Also thanks to Corona, attendance has been reasonably stable in recent years.

Mainly older people come. Almost half of the current visitors are over 65, only 18 percent are under 30 years old. “The big challenge for the street market is to rejuvenate.”

This is very well known at the market in Zandvoort-Nord, for example. “Rejuvenation is not that easy. Of course, the young people work during the day,” says fishmonger Peter Koelewijn. “Just this afternoon we have a meeting about a possible extension of the market. Now it’s down to about two in the afternoon, if we extend that by a couple of hours, you allow more people – including young people – to visit the market.”

diversity

The diversity of the market is also a point of attention. Too many non-food market stalls have disappeared in recent years. “They now miss customers who came especially for these stands,” says Koelewijn.

A loyal customer of the market in Zandvoort-Nord puts it this way NOS Radio 1 News: “I just want more Hutse-Frutsel stands. Where you can buy nice things, like straps, beads, things like that. Something for everyone. Have fun strolling. That would make this market even nicer.”

Henk Achterhuis, who was chairman of the professional association CVAH (Central Association for the Ambulatory Trade) for decades and is now an independent consultant, says that the market will have to pull out all the stops in the coming years in order to survive.

“Since 2020, the itinerant trade – just like the butcher and baker on the corner – has been hit one after the other. First Corona, then the war in Ukraine, followed by sky-high energy costs and ever-increasing commodity prices. This nightmare is not over yet and the consequences for small businesses are likely to be catastrophic,” predicts Achterhuis.

“Particularly the providers in the non-food sector are going through difficult times.” These entrepreneurs are particularly bothered by the Internet and cheap retail chains such as Action, Lidl and Primark. Achterhuis: “What is to be done? The itinerant inner-city trade must coordinate with partners such as small retail, hospitality, culture, tourism and government to form a strong bloc. For example: How do you set up the city? Center of Enschede on the map to give just one example. Otherwise, in ten years, the last person could turn off the light.”

Still optimistic

The current chairwoman of the CVAH, Louise Wesselius, is more optimistic: “The market will certainly do well again after Corona.” She sees that a new generation of entrepreneurs is growing up who pay attention to fresh and luxury foods.