Blokker’s Bankruptcy and the Ripple Effect in Dutch Retail

After decades as a household name in the Netherlands, Blokker filed for bankruptcy in November 2024, marking the end of an era for the Dutch retail sector. Once a dominant player in household goods, the chain had been struggling for years to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive market.

The Amsterdam court officially declared Blokker bankrupt following the retailer’s own request, after a prolonged period of financial distress. While franchised stores and the distribution centre remained operational, the majority of company-owned shops began a large-scale clearance sale, drawing in bargain hunters looking for last-minute deals.

While consumers rushed to Blokker’s stores for liquidation sales, the question remained: which retailers would benefit most from its downfall? Using our MarketMonitor tool, Accurat analysed how Blokker’s bankruptcy reshaped the Dutch household goods sector, revealing some striking market shifts.

Was Blokker’s Downfall Reflected in Foot Traffic?

One of the most pressing questions was whether Blokker’s visit numbers had been steadily declining before its bankruptcy. However, our data shows that while Blokker was underperforming, its visit share remained relatively stable before the collapse. This suggests that its struggles were more structural and long-term rather than due to a sudden drop in footfall.

Blokker’s Downfall: A Matter of Productivity

More tellingly, when comparing Blokker’s store performance to competitors, we see that Blokker’s stores attracted only half as many visits as Hema and Wibra, and just a quarter of Action’s foot traffic. Visit productivity per store was significantly lower, indicating that Blokker’s fundamental problem was inefficiency rather than declining consumer interest alone. Xenos, which ultimately benefitted the most from Blokker’s closure, also showed low visit productivity levels. However, this is offset by a higher average basket value, resulting in stronger profitability per store.

This data suggests that Blokker’s failure was not due to a sudden loss of customers, but rather an inability to compete effectively with more agile and cost-efficient rivals.

Note: The share of visits per store in January 2025 reflects for Blokker only the remaining franchised locations that were unaffected by the bankruptcy. Notably, this share is even lower than Blokker's average in 2024, raising concerns about the long-term viability of these franchised stores.

Clearance Sales: A Final Surge in Visits

As expected, the announcement of Blokker’s closure triggered a surge in visits as shoppers rushed to take advantage of clearance sales. This is a common pattern observed in previous retail bankruptcies. However, it wasn’t just bargain hunters who flocked to the stores—many customers visited Blokker one last time out of nostalgia. The irony is striking: while Blokker struggled for years due to low foot traffic, its bankruptcy announcement suddenly reignited public sentiment, with people expressing sadness and making farewell visits. 

Between November and December 2024, visits to Blokker’s stores increased by a staggering 35.3%, far outpacing competitors. Other retailers also saw a rise in foot traffic during this period, however a far smaller increase.

This temporary spike is consistent with consumer behaviour seen in previous retail bankruptcies—where clearance sales act as a final draw for bargain hunters, creating a short-lived boom in foot traffic.

Who Captured Blokker’s Visit Market Share?

With the closure of most Blokker locations, consumer traffic was redistributed across the household goods sector. While Action and Hema absorbed the majority of Blokker’s visits due to their market presence, the key question remains: who is benefiting the most in relative terms? When comparing our data from January 2024 to January 2025, one month after the shutdown, a clear answer is shown:

• Xenos emerged as the biggest winner, boosting its share by over 50% relative to the previous year. While its store count has grown compared to January 2024, it still achieved a significant 30% increase in share even when compared to December 2024.
• Hema gained 15% in visit share, solidifying its strong position in the market.
• Wibra and Action saw a smaller impact, suggesting that their customer segments did not significantly overlap with Blokker’s. 

With only 50 franchised Blokker stores still in operation, the redistribution of visits shows that Xenos successfully positioned itself to capture Blokker’s core customer base, while other players benefitted to a relatively lesser extent.

What This Means for the Household Goods Market

Blokker’s downfall highlights several important lessons for the retail sector:

✔ Visit productivity matters! Foot traffic alone is not a guarantee of success—efficiency and strong store performance are key.

✔ As Xenos and Hema take the lead in absorbing Blokker’s former customers, it remains to be seen whether these new shoppers will remain loyal or gradually disperse across other retailers.

At Accurat, we will continue to monitor these shifts and provide retailers with the data-driven insights they need to navigate changing market conditions.