Dutch companies were more optimistic about their chances of survival because of coronavirus in May than they were in April, according to new figures from national statistics agency CBS which were released on Tuesday.

The biggest growth in optimism is among retailers, the CBS said. In May, 65% of retailers said they expected to be able to survive at least a year, compared with just 9% in April. The decision to ease the lockdown has played a part in this, the CBS said.

The most important measures companies have take to boost their chances of survival include taking steps to ensure people can keep 1.5 metres apart, and cost cutting. In some fields, such as business services and the cultural sector, companies have also drastically reduced their use of freelance and temporary staff.

‘Employers have not yet started cutting into their permanent workforce,’ said CBS chief economist Pieter Hein van Mulligen. ‘But we are only a couple of months into this.’

In addition, many firms have taken advantage of government schemes to help pay salaries, Van Mulligen pointed out. This is particularly the case in the hospitality industry.

On Monday, the Dutch central bank said the economy is likely to contract by 6.4% this year and that it could take several years to recover. The bank expects the official unemployment figure to rise to 7.3% in 2021.