Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 28th May 2026 Issue no. 1212
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Welcome to the Cleanzine
As the UK grapples with 2025’s harsh economic realities and braces itself for further huge rises in both household and business costs, recent analysis by Plimsoll indicates that just over one in three British companies is at heightened risk of failure in the next 12 months. And with the Trump 2.0 administration challenging the way in which the world trades, and some countries and organisations hellbent on racing towards Net Zero while others view the idea with extreme caution or even disdain, business leaders worldwide face an uncertainty not experienced since the dark days of Covid-19. Unfettered access to key markets is no longer guaranteed. Supply chains can’t be relied upon - especially for just-in-time processes. Trained staff are increasingly difficult to source. Input inflation seems to only be heading higher. Interesting times eh?
According to Plimsoll (www.plimsoll.co.uk), which applies its predictive model across 1,600 markets, the result of this perfect storm is that 38% of British businesses are heading into this growing uncertainty already in financial danger—up 4% on from 34% the previous year. I must say I’m surprised that the rise is so small, bearing in mind how hard they’re being clobbered!
Historically, businesses that encounter unforeseen deteriorations in trading conditions on an already weak footing have been the most vulnerable, and Plimsoll says that this trend shows little sign of abating. Indeed, the risks appear concentrated among larger firms, with 41% of businesses holding more than £50 million in assets now classified as financially ‘in danger’ by the organisation. These companies are those most likely to serve international markets and are thus the most exposed to deterioration in trading conditions overseas.
Plimsoll’s research suggests that, in times of economic turbulence, early intervention can mean the difference between survival and failure. It warns that many of the companies identified as high-risk need to quickly boost shareholder capital or improve operational efficiency to stay afloat. The cost of inaction? Potential collapse. Yet, the picture isn’t universally bleak. Plimsoll reports that the share of businesses rated as ‘Strong’ held steady at 48%, illustrating that some companies aren’t only surviving but are thriving despite the headwinds. As with any prevailing economic landscape, there are winners and losers. The key takeaway from the latest round of economic news is clear: well-managed firms endure, while those that fail to adapt, risk becoming casualties of the evolving economic landscape.
As I’ve said before, cleaning businesses will always be forced to deal with any turbulence thrown at them by changing circumstances in the wider world of business. Service providers and those supplying products and equipment alike, quickly have to adapt to circumstances over which they have little control. I wish everyone ‘fair winds and following seas’, as the saying goes...
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Yours,
27th February 2025