Covid-19: one in two SMEs fears they will not be able to "withstand a third confinement"

One in two business leaders (49%) believes

, according to a survey carried out by the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) among its members and published on Tuesday January 26 * .

Read also: Covid-19: French SMEs have resisted the crisis well

Out of 2,400 managers of SMEs and very small enterprises (VSEs) who responded from January 7 to 20 to a questionnaire from their organization, 54% also declared themselves

, against 47% during a previous survey in September.

At 53%, they consider that the implementation of the curfew slows down their activity, and a third (33%)

.

While 25% of SMEs plan to reduce their workforce, 66% plan to maintain it and 9% plan to recruit.

"

The Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CPME)

Asked about the evolution of their turnover in November and December 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, two thirds (65%) say it has fallen, one in five that it is stable and 15% report an increase.

Regarding their workforce, they are down in 30% of cases, stable in 61% of companies and up in 9%.

“For 2021, the outlook is mixed, but not catastrophic.

If 52% of respondents expect a drop in turnover in the coming months, 48% anticipate a maintenance or even an increase, ”

notes the employers' organization in a press release.

continues CPME.

Read also: The crisis, an electric shock for the digitization of French SMEs

A sign of concern, the heads of small and medium-sized businesses are more and more likely to doubt their ability to repay their debts or pay their charges.

One in two companies has benefited from deferral of tax or social contributions, and among these, more than one in three (36%) thinks they are unable to reimburse them, against 28% in September.

As for the loan guaranteed by the State (PGE), to which 58% of responding SMEs and VSEs say they have used, nearly one in two (45%) among these beneficiaries think they cannot repay it, against one in three ( 34%) four months ago.

Finally, only a quarter (26%) of SME / VSE leaders feel concerned by the government's recovery plan, and only one in ten says they know its terms.

* The responses have been adjusted to take into account an over-representation of accommodation and catering and sports halls and an under-representation of the building, specifies the CPME.