Electricity bills and restaurant bills, clothing purchases and care fees.
The debt that is not paid ends up with a high probability with a debt collection company.
In the last year alone, Swedes' debt to debt collection companies has grown by SEK 9 billion and now stands at SEK 94 billion.
This is a doubling since 2008 when the debt collection industry began to keep statistics.
More and more pensioners are affected
The chairman of Svensk Inkasso, Fredrik Engström, connects the increasing debts with the equally increasing e-commerce.
- It is worrying that the debt continues to increase, he says.
Of course, some people have taken on too much credit, but we also know that the most common reasons why people end up in debt are unemployment, illness or divorce.
Most debt collection companies believe that debt problems will continue to increase.
Not a single debt collection company thinks they will have less to do.
Among the cases with unpaid bills, a new group also appears, according to Fredrik Engström.
- In recent years, we have seen that retirement is something that worsens the economy and causes you to end up in debt.
The statistics come from the Swedish Debt Collection Agency's annual report 2021 and from a survey conducted by the organization among its member companies during the summer.