Dutch consumers pay their bills within 31 days, compared with 42 days in the private sector and 49 days in government, according to research by Intrum Justitia.

Consumers are currently two days slower at paying than they were a year ago. Companies are taking two days longer to pay their bills and the state three days, the research shows.
‘Companies often pay their bills late deliberately because they have one eye on their cashflow and the internal bureaucracy slows down bill-paying by government departments,’ said Intrum Justitia in the AD. ‘Even during this period of recession, consumers remain the best payers.’