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Nearly three-quarters of small businesses are worried about the impact New Zealand's economic downturn will have on them over the next year.
A survey by business research firm Veda Advantage found 73 per cent of small to medium business owners had low confidence levels, with many reporting cashflow issues.
"While recessionary economic conditions have an impact on us all, it is the smaller businesses that can be most heavily affected," Veda Advantage NZ director John Roberts said.
The survey found 41 per cent of businesses had noticed debtors were taking longer to settle accounts than in the previous year.
Another 26 per cent found settling their own debts had become harder, with 8 per cent admitting real difficulty keeping on top of things.
- NZPA
