For some North Hollanders it is a weekly outing, but there is less and less choice between the market stalls. Over the past five years, more than ten percent of market vendors have said goodbye to their stalls, with the result that some markets have had to close. A shame, say Zaankanters: “People. Come to the market. Come to the market!”
It’s a holiday and therefore quiet on the market, but some Zaankanters invariably continue to walk ‘their round’ every week. It is an outing with the dog or partner. “I find it very bad on Thursday, but on Saturday it became very pleasant. There are almost no people and almost no stalls anymore,” says a visitor resolutely.
Another couple agrees. Variety is especially lacking. “We are not satisfied with the market right now.” They want to have more choices. However, not everyone shares this opinion. “You can buy everything you need here. Such as biscuits, meat, nuts, bread, vegetables, underwear.”
See below what Zaankanters think about the market. Text continues below the video.
In Zandvoort, the municipality recently decided to pull the plug on the once so cozy Tuesday market. A handful of visitors and even fewer entrepreneurs was not enough to continue.
Rediscover the market
In North Holland, the number of market entrepreneurs has decreased by about 13.5 percent between 2017 and 2022. Only in the province of Flevoland did this number fall faster, according to figures from the Chamber of Commerce. But that downward trend seems to have reversed somewhat. “The corona period has helped a lot,” explains Louise Wesselius. Wesselius is chairman of the umbrella association Central Association for Ambulatory Trade.
Because people were sitting at home en masse and the catering industry was closed, there was suddenly enough time left to go to the market again. “Going to the market became another outing.” The fruits of that development are still being harvested. The younger generation has rediscovered the market and, according to Wesselius, are even willing to start their own business on the market again.
Strict environmental requirements and changes in permits
Food vendors, in particular, made significant progress. “It remains difficult for the others, who continue to suffer from online sellers.” Nevertheless, some market vendors on the Zaanse market remain critical. For example, they are afraid that they will no longer be able to exist in five years’ time, for example due to all the stricter environmental requirements.
There are even more challenges. For example, the permits change and contact with the municipality does not always go smoothly. “Look at the market in Zaandam”, Wesselius takes as an example. “It has already been moved several times by the municipality. Then you make it very difficult for the consumer. It is as if the Albert Heijn is always in a different place.”
Despite all the challenges ahead for the ‘old-fashioned’ market, Wesselius has no doubts about its survival. North Holland is known for its markets, and will continue to be. “My father always said: ‘through the centuries and through culture there has always been a market, and there will always be’.”
‘Own fault’
A visitor to the Zaanse market fully agrees: “If people don’t come, you get the spiral effect going down. At a certain point it has completely bled to death, but people have themselves to blame for that. So come to the market.”