Only 16% of companies in BIV’s spring survey expect a positive 2026, while 34% see deterioration—the bleakest sentiment since the industry group began tracking outlooks in 2019.
Forty-nine percent reported fewer customers or lower order volumes, and 65% said clients are cutting requested services, with industry and office-administration each the hardest-hit segment at 26%.
Mobility costs added pressure for a nationwide workforce: 88% of firms said the rise is a noticeable burden, while 89% backed temporary tax or levy cuts on fuel and 87% favored tighter antitrust scrutiny of oil companies.
Employment has already weakened, with sector headcount falling 4.2% from 696,444 in 2023 to 667,489 in 2025; 29% cut staff in 2025-26 and 41% expect further layoffs in 2026-27.
The industry’s frustration also reached Berlin, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government scoring 3.7 out of 10 as firms tied the sector’s outlook to faster social-security and pension reforms.