very small businesses particularly sensitive to the poor economic situation

If the legal liquidations are linked in recent months for large companies, very small businesses are not spared either and must often fight to get up.

Deletions of jobs at ArcelorMittal, liquidation of Camaïeu, Jennyfer … The economic difficulties of large groups often make the news, but they also affect VSEs and SMEs everywhere in France. In the first quarter of 2025, nearly 18,000 companies entered the legal proceedings, including a very large majority of very small businesses, according to figures from the National Council of Judicial Directors and Judicial Agents.

This is particularly the case for a couple of bakers in Quincié-en-Beaujolais, in the north of the Rhône. For five years, Cécile and Michel Coubard have managed the only bakery in this town of 1,300 inhabitants. “”We still try to have hot bread all day, even if the electricity is expensive“, Sets the baker, who assures that some time ago, he could cook his bread all day.

A year and a half ago, the establishment’s electricity bills tripled. Customers also spend less in their bakery. Without forgetting the rise in raw materials, 60% according to Michel. “”It is really not heard in France, we are sovereign on a lot of raw materials “he is indignant.

“When you see that yeast has taken almost 100%, salt 80%is speculation. They do a bit as they want and we have no choice.”

Michel Coubard, baker

in franceinfo

On February 6, the bakers’ couple pushed the door of the Villefranche-Tarare Commercial Court to request the opening of a receivership procedure. Their debts are therefore frozen and they have six months to redo their cash. “”We were hesitatingexplains Cécile. The holidays were very average.“She has a bitter memory of the month of January, when the pancakes have been badly sold.

“”We started not to sleep well, to wonder what we were going to docontinues the baker. We ate 32 000 euros in cash flow in one year“, She is sorry. Cécile begins each new day of work the ball in the belly, wondering if she and her companion will succeed in completing the month. In the meantime, they make efforts:”We do the shopping in supermarkets, we buy what we need during the week per kilo. We try to minimize our expenses“. In the event of liquidation, Cécile fears that the final closure of the bakery impacts the other traders in the town.”It would be the death of the village“, Ensures the baker.

The case of Cécile and Michel is far from being isolated. Sometimes the recovery goes as far as liquidation: there were nearly 12,500 in the first three months of 2025. How to get up after a liquidation? More and more entrepreneurs are forced to ask this question, while finding the desire and confidence to carry out new projects. The 60,000 rebounds association accompanies them precisely in these difficult times.

Éric, 55, is one of these “rebounds” entrepreneurs. Each month, there are a dozen to meet right next to Lyon to exchange. “”I liquidated the company I had created and managed for four years“, He says. His company, specializing in the building industry through the construction of wooden and straw walls, had seven employees.

The construction sector is particularly affected by liquidations. Over the first three months of the year, there are 3,500 companies in default. “”Unfortunately, there was the war in Ukraine and therefore a big shock on energy which caused imported inflation, which caused in reaction to that an increase in interest rates … which completely frozen the property construction market“Explains Eric.

All his potential customers then disappear and he ends up requesting a receivership, failing to pay the wages of his employees “I have a customer who had to pay me and who is in default. I am, by ricochet, in default of payment“, Continues the entrepreneur. A year ago, his business was liquidated after four years of activity. A memory still painful for him: “I found myself naked, in the almost clean sense of the term. Everything I have on me is between ten and three years old. I am nothing new, because I am not able to buy new things.”

Despite the emotion in his voice, Eric continues his story: “It is a period that is really painful. My close entourage told me to be careful because I was in denial. It was difficult, I still have emotion by talking about it a year later. And at the same time, this humanity which was a little abused makes me stronger today. “

“I know what it is to fall and I know that I am able to straighten myself.”

Eric, an entrepreneur

in franceinfo

To straighten up, it is in particular on 60,000 rebounds. “”When we live this, we are very alone, we are facing an execution platoon. Everyone is protected except the entrepreneur. And in addition, we experience a massive injustice. Being able to find themselves between peers, with men and women who have undertaken and who unfortunately failed, that makes a lot of good!“, He concludes. In one year, Eric found the desire to carry out projects. He today wishes to transmit his experience and support other entrepreneurs in difficulty.