MAM celebrates 50 years of innovation in baby care
Baby care brand MAM is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Founded in 1976 as an Austrian family business, the brand is now active in more than 60 countries, selling over 90 million products annually.
For five decades, MAM has combined medical expertise with innovation and design. In developing products such as pacifiers and baby bottles, the brand works closely with paediatricians, dentists, orthodontists and other healthcare professionals. Well-known products include the Easy Start™ Anti-Colic bottle and a range of pacifiers, including the MAM Comfort, Original and Supreme.
MAM also aims to further increase its brand awareness in the Netherlands. During its anniversary year, the brand is participating in the Blije Doos programme, among other initiatives. A special consumer campaign with Etos is also planned for September.
Through these activities, MAM continues to strengthen its position in the Dutch market, with innovation, safety, comfort and the healthy development of babies remaining at the heart of the brand.
EU calls for flexible enforcement of packaging regulations
The European Commission is calling on EU Member States to take a flexible and pragmatic approach to enforcing the new European packaging rules for the time being. Small businesses in particular are concerned about the administrative burden associated with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
The first obligations under the new legislation have applied since 12 August. The PPWR aims to reduce packaging waste in Europe and introduces requirements covering areas such as packaging size, recyclability and reusability.
For webshops and other businesses selling across borders, the registration requirement is causing particular concern. Businesses may be required to register in every EU Member State in which they place products on the market. Small companies fear this will result in additional administration and costs.
The European Commission has proposed simplifying the rules for small businesses. This proposal still needs to be approved by EU Member States and the European Parliament.
Until then, national authorities will determine how the rules are applied. The Commission is asking them to take the position of smaller businesses into account when enforcing the new requirements.
Number of retail bankruptcies falls again
The number of bankruptcies in the Dutch retail sector fell again in July. A total of 18 retail businesses were declared bankrupt, two fewer than in July last year, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
This brings the total number of retail bankruptcies in the first seven months of 2026 to 145. March recorded the highest number so far this year, with 27 bankruptcies, compared with 21 in June.
Figures varied between different retail segments in July. Two businesses in the supermarkets and department stores category went bankrupt. Three bankruptcies were recorded among stores selling other household goods, while another three occurred among retailers of recreational goods. No bankruptcies were recorded in the food or consumer electronics categories.
The total number of bankruptcies across Dutch businesses also declined. In July, 266 companies were declared bankrupt, 33 fewer than in the same month last year and 36 fewer than in June.
The figures are part of a broader trend in which the number of bankruptcies in recent months has generally remained below the levels recorded a year earlier.
Carriwell celebrates 30 years of supporting mothers
Danish brand Carriwell is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. What began in 1996 as a small family business with an initial order of just six bras has grown into an internationally recognised brand specialising in maternity and nursing wear.
Since its foundation, Carriwell has developed products designed around the needs of pregnant women and mothers, with comfort, support and ease of use at the heart of its approach. To achieve this, the brand works closely with mothers, midwives and lactation consultants.
According to founder and CEO Dean Grobler, the first nursing bra was inspired by his wife Dorte, who saw how a conventional bra could be developed into a product that better met the needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women. ‘We started small, but with a clear purpose to help mothers feel more comfortable and better supported.’
Innovation has played an important role at Carriwell for the past thirty years. In the late 1990s, the brand worked with manufacturing partner Santoni to develop one of the first seamless maternity and nursing bras.
Today, the range includes the patented GelWire® Nursing Bra as well as products made using advanced seamless knitting technology.
Carriwell is also among the first European brands in this category to achieve Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification, underlining its commitment to using more sustainable materials.
DreamLand targets twenty new stores in the Netherlands
Toy retailer DreamLand plans to significantly expand its presence in the Netherlands over the coming years. Koen Nolmans, CEO of parent company ToyChamp Holding, sees potential for at least twenty new stores, particularly in cities with populations of 100,000 or more.
According to Nolmans, there is also room for multiple stores in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. DreamLand currently operates 27 stores in the Netherlands.
By the end of 2026, the retailer expects to have a combined total of 95 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2027, the number of locations is expected to exceed one hundred. In Belgium, seven new stores are planned at former Cora hypermarket locations, among others.
Sister retailer Intertoys, also part of ToyChamp Holding, is investing in physical retail as well. The chain is relocating stores to larger premises and now operates thirty XL locations.
The expansion follows a strong financial year, in which Intertoys and DreamLand generated combined revenue of more than €485 million and a net profit of €11.3 million.
Amazon aims to expand drone delivery to 500 US locations
Amazon aims to make its drone delivery service available in nearly 500 US cities and communities by the end of 2026. This would increase the reach of Prime Air by approximately six times.
The company currently operates drone deliveries from 11 locations, with a single delivery hub able to serve several surrounding communities.
Amazon uses its MK30 drone for deliveries. Rather than landing, the drone hovers several metres above the ground and lowers the package to its destination. Eligible orders can be delivered in approximately 30 minutes.
The service will soon expand to areas including Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland, Atlanta and Boise.
Prime members pay $2.99 for drone delivery on orders under $50, while delivery is free on orders of $50 or more. Other customers pay $4.99.
With this expansion, Amazon is continuing to invest in faster delivery and increased automation of the last mile.
One in eight retailers looking to sell their business
A growing number of retailers want to step away from their businesses, but finding a suitable buyer is proving difficult. According to the Kleinbedrijf Index, one in eight entrepreneurs is currently in the process of selling their business.
Business succession is becoming an increasingly significant challenge, particularly in retail. One of the main reasons is the limited financial headroom available to many retailers. Low returns make it difficult to invest and can make a business less attractive to potential buyers. Securing financing for an acquisition can also be a major obstacle.
Experts therefore advise retailers to start considering business succession well in advance. According to Dutch retail industry association INretail, a successful sales process should ideally begin around five years before the actual transfer of ownership.
This involves more than achieving strong financial results. A capable team and a business that is not entirely dependent on its owner can also make a company more attractive to potential buyers.
A gradual transfer to an employee or future shareholder may also provide a solution.
SOLYD celebrates its 8th anniversary following rebrand
The Dutch personal care brand started out in 2018 with shampoo bars and has since grown into a complete brand offering solid care products for hair, skin and body.
The brand recently underwent a rebrand, changing its name from Shampoo Bars to SOLYD. The company was founded with the mission of making a plastic-free bathroom the norm.
According to SOLYD, its products are now used in more than 300,000 households, helping to save millions of plastic bottles. With its new brand name, SOLYD aims to continue building the future of solid personal care.
The brand does not see the growing number of companies offering solid products as a threat. On the contrary: according to SOLYD, the more brands, retailers and consumers choose personal care products without unnecessary plastic packaging, the faster the category can become the new standard.
SOLYD is celebrating its eighth anniversary together with a number of sustainable and impact-driven brands. Under the motto ‘Together we raise the Bar’, the company aims to further strengthen the movement towards more conscious personal care.
FPI adds Koeka Kids to its brand portfolio
As of 1 June 2026, Koeka Kids has become part of FPI B.V., the group that also includes Flow Amsterdam. The acquisition gives the baby and children’s brand a new future within an organisation that similarly focuses on high-quality, stylish products for young families.
FPI intends to preserve Koeka’s distinctive identity and use it as a foundation for the brand’s further development. According to the company, Koeka and Flow Amsterdam complement each other well thanks to their shared focus on design, quality and functionality.
‘From our very first conversation, we felt that Koeka and Flow Amsterdam had a great deal in common. We are therefore extremely pleased that Koeka has found a new home within our group,’ says Koen de Jong of FPI B.V.
The coming period will focus on integrating Koeka into FPI, with an emphasis on continuity for customers, retail partners and employees. FPI sees opportunities to further develop and grow both Koeka and Flow Amsterdam within the group.
Strong financial year for Intertoys and DreamLand
Intertoys and DreamLand generated combined revenue of more than €485 million in the past financial year. Parent company ToyChamp Holding closed the year with a net profit of €11.3 million. For the first time, the results of ToyChamp, DreamLand and Intertoys have been consolidated over a full financial year.
The group acquired a majority stake in DreamLand in 2023 and added Intertoys at the end of 2024. According to CEO Koen Nolmans, Intertoys in particular performed strongly.
The retail chain optimised its store portfolio and will continue this strategy in 2026, with a growing number of larger L and XL stores. DreamLand is also continuing to expand.
In addition, ToyChamp Holding is centralising its logistics operations in a new distribution centre in Bilzen-Hoeselt, Belgium.
These developments illustrate the continuing consolidation and expansion within toy and children’s retail, where larger stores, omnichannel sales and more efficient logistics are playing an increasingly important role.
Consumer confidence continues its cautious recovery
Consumer confidence in the Netherlands improved slightly again in August. According to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the indicator rose from -35 in July to -34 in August. This means the cautious recovery is continuing, although consumer confidence remains low.
Consumers are slightly less negative about the economy than they were a month earlier. This applies both to their assessment of the economic situation over the past 12 months and to their expectations for the year ahead.
Willingness to buy remained unchanged from July at -19. One positive sign for retailers is that consumers are slightly more optimistic than a month earlier about whether now is a good time to make major purchases.
Despite the modest improvement, consumer confidence remains well below the average of the past twenty years, which stands at -12. The historic low was recorded in September and October 2022, when the indicator stood at -59.
OKU continues to grow with acquisition of Mertex
As of 1 August 2026, OKU has acquired Breda-based distributor and agent Mertex. The two companies will continue under the name OKU-Mertex. The acquisition strengthens OKU’s position as a supplier of high-quality toys in the Benelux.
According to owner and managing director Jurgen van Dijk, the acquisition is part of OKU’s growth strategy. Founded in 1983, the company has expanded its brand portfolio in recent years and moved to new premises with its own warehouse in Dronten.
Mertex was founded by Marc Janse in 1993 and developed into a well-known distributor within the toy industry. Its entire brand portfolio will transfer to OKU, including Janod, Ooly, Playforever and Steiff.
For retailers, the acquisition means they will be able to order a broader portfolio of brands from a single supplier. Logistics and sales operations will also be integrated. Mertex’s inventory will move to the warehouse in Dronten, while OKU’s sales representatives will take over the Mertex range.
According to both companies, joining forces should result in more efficient service for customers and suppliers.