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Northeast Lower Saxony: Entrepreneurs see a bleak future despite hope
The economy in Lüneburg is facing challenges: high costs and uncertainties are putting a strain on companies. Local surveys show mixed business prospects.
Northeast Lower Saxony: Entrepreneurs see a bleak future despite hope
In northeast Lower Saxony, the mood among companies is not exactly rosy. Contrary to hopes of a turnaround in the regional economy, the current IHKLW economic survey shows that many companies are facing major challenges. High energy and labor costs, increasing tax burdens and bureaucracy are significantly slowing growth. Lueneburg current reports that the economic climate indicator for the second quarter of 2025 is at 94 points. This is two points above the Lower Saxony average, but still well below the 106 points before the start of the corona pandemic.
A total of 674 companies from the districts of Harburg, Heidekreis, Lüneburg, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Uelzen and Celle were surveyed. The result remains sobering: 24% of companies rate their business situation as good, while 53% rate it as satisfactory and 23% report a bad situation. Companies are particularly concerned about the economic policy framework, which 58% of participants consider to be a top risk.
Industry overview: Where is the economy?
While the service sector is experiencing a slight upswing and has increased by 11 points to 98 points, wholesale trade is suffering from a dramatic decline. Here the economic climate index fell by 14 points to just 72 points, influenced by weak domestic demand and rising labor costs. In industry, many companies are dissatisfied with the current business situation, but there are also more optimistic forecasts for the next twelve months, which caused the index to rise by 4 points to 93 points.
As the District newspaper weekly further reported, the decreased economic climate indicator of 76 points corresponds to the level that the region experienced after the Ukraine war in February 2022. Only 20% of companies rate their situation as good, while almost 50% are satisfied with a satisfactory situation and 30% report a bad situation. The outlook for the coming months is also bleak: 43% of companies fear business losses, only 10% believe there will be an improvement.
Skilled labor shortage and high costs
The general manager of the IHKLW, Michael Zeinert, cites the high energy costs, the increased prices for preliminary products, the increasing labor costs and the shortage of skilled workers as particular challenges for companies. The serious bureaucratic barriers and unclear legal situation cannot be overlooked. The Lower Saxony Chamber of Industry and Commerce points out that the mood in the industry as a whole remains tense and companies must expect a long phase of uncertainty. The situation is particularly critical in wholesale trade, which has suffered a further significant decline with only 45 points in the economic climate index.
This makes reforms all the more urgent, as Zeinert emphasizes, in order to restore innovative strength and competitiveness in the region. The demand for a clear economic policy agenda is becoming louder and louder, but companies have little hope for quick changes.