Browse Data and Analysis

The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as demographic trends and practical tips to U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in the Netherlands.

This report assesses the agricultural biotechnology sector in the Netherlands, and covers related production, trade, and policies. It includes topics related to genetic engineering and innovative plant, animal, and microbial biotechnologies.

Dutch apple production is expected to be down by 12 percent while the pear harvest will increase by an estimated three percent. Unfavorable growing conditions in the beginning of the growing season resulted in lower yields for apples.

Hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) foodservice industry sales in the Netherlands rebounded in 2022, valued at $15.6 billion, and exceeded the pre-pandemic (COVID-19) levels. In 2022, sales in all segments saw an increase but the limited...

On July 1, the Netherlands introduced a Single Use Plastic (SUP) levy. The new measure stems from the European Union’s (EU) Directive on Single Use Plastics (SUP), which aims to reduce the impact of single-use plastic on the environment.

The turnover of the Dutch retail sector was valued at $48.7 billion in 2022. The sector is relatively consolidated, with the two largest food retailers controlling almost 60 percent of the market. Retail prices of some basic shopping items increased by 15 percent, resulting in consumers visiting multiple supermarkets and increasingly choosing private label products.

Since the Netherlands lifted all COVID-19 related restrictions at the end of February 2022 and most people returned to the workplace, new opportunities continue to emerge for U.S. agricultural products. Consumers are especially interested in healthier, more convenient, nutritious, and high-quality products.

The turnover of the Dutch food processing industry in 2021 (most recent data available) was valued at $83 billion. There are more than 8,000 food processing companies active in the Netherlands and together they account for an estimated 150,000 jobs.

This report is an addendum to the GAIN report number E42022-0063 EU Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Report, October 28, 2022. It lists the Dutch import regulations and standards that are not harmonized within the EU or where the Netherlands varies from the EU standards.

The Netherlands, as a Member State of the European Union (EU), conforms to all EU regulations and directives. However, rules for the certification of imports are complicated and, in practice, are not always harmonized across EU Member States. This report lists the recent developments related to Dutch import requirements for the certification of agricultural and food imports.

The implementation of a much-debated deposit scheme for metal cans in the Netherlands has been delayed until April 1, 2023, due to information technology challenges surrounding the deposit system and an insufficient number of machines to press returned cans.

A Value Added Tax (VAT) of zero percent for vegetables and fruit was part of the 2021 Dutch government's coalition agreement. Realizing this VAT reduction, however, has been met with several challenges pertaining to efficiency, efficacy, and feasibility.