Consistent manufacturing costs roughly remain steady
The Dutch manufacturing sector has shown a mix of trends in recent years, with producer prices fluctuating across various industries, according to data collected by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, CBS).
The index producer prices, which measure the average changes in the prices manufacturers receive for their products, have seen a gradual increase since 2021. In July 2023, the index stood at 118.6, rising to 119.2 in December of the same year. However, a dip was observed in August 2024, with the index dropping to 119.1.
In contrast, the index producer prices for petroleum products have seen a significant year-on-year decrease. In July 2025, prices for petroleum derivatives were down by 12.9% year on year. Similarly, the average price of a barrel of North Sea Brent crude was over 23% lower than in July 2024.
Eight industries account for almost 75% of the total Dutch manufacturing industry: Food products, Cars, Metal products, Machinery, Rubber and plastic, Electronic products, Chemical products, and Petroleum products.
Among these, the prices for food products, cars, metal products, and machinery have shown an increase in July 2025, with food products experiencing a 4.1% increase, cars a 4.1% increase, metal products a 1.6% increase, and machinery a 1.3% increase.
On the other hand, the prices for chemical products and petroleum products have seen a decrease. The output prices for chemical products were 3.7% lower than they were in July 2024, while the prices for petroleum products were down by 12.9% year on year.
It's worth noting that the index producer prices for some months in 2022 and 2023 have shown a steady increase, with July 2022 reaching 125.0 and December 2023 reaching 117.6. However, a slight decrease was observed in December 2024, with the index falling to 119.2.
The data also shows that the manufacturing output prices in July 2025 were virtually the same as in June 2025, indicating a stable market.
In conclusion, while some sectors of the Dutch manufacturing industry have experienced a rise in prices, others have seen a decrease, particularly in petroleum products. The data underscores the dynamic nature of the sector and the importance of continued monitoring and analysis.
