The order situation for German companies remains tense. According to the Ifo Institute, roughly a third of firms still receive too few orders. The share of companies with insufficient orders fell only slightly, from 36.9 % in October to 36.3 % in January, but it remains well above the long‑term average. “The modest easing should not hide the reality that many companies still suffer from a lack of orders” said Klaus Wohlrabe, head of the Ifo surveys. “Weak demand weighs on large parts of the economy and is further amplified by high costs and declining competitiveness”.
In industry, the percentage of firms with order shortages stayed almost unchanged at 35.9 %. The situation is particularly tight in mechanical engineering, where the share rose from 41.4 % to 43.9 %. Manufacturers of electronic and optical goods also saw an increase, from 40.7 % to 46.8 %. About one quarter of automotive companies reported similar problems. By contrast, the beverage sector has improved: the proportion of firms with missing orders dropped to 13.6 %, roughly half the level seen previously.
The service sector reported fewer shortages. The share fell from 33.4 % to 31.1 %. Nonetheless, consultancy (53.8 %) and advertising (51.2 %) remain heavily affected. Hospitality and IT service providers also report high levels of insufficient demand, each at 48.1 %.
Retail faces continued difficulty. Among wholesalers, a steady two thirds (62 %) still complain of order deficits. For retailers, the situation has slightly worsened: the share of firms with inadequate demand rose from 48.7 % to 51.3 %, meaning that roughly half of all retail businesses are still struggling to find enough orders.
