Intrum’s European Payment Report 2026 says late payments are holding back growth across Europe. Around 12.1% of revenues are currently paid late, slightly above the 12.08% level businesses consider sustainable without disrupting operations. The report finds that 57% of companies have missed growth targets because of late payments, while 62% say delayed receipts force them to pay their own suppliers late. The B2B payment gap has widened from 16 days in 2023 to 20 days in 2026, and 53% of businesses expect late or non-payment risk to increase over the next year. Companies are responding by tightening payment discipline: 50% are requesting prepayment, and 39% are conducting credit checks. The findings are based on 8,385 businesses across 20 European countries. To read Intrum’s news release, go to https://www.intrum.com/insights/publications/epr-2026/.