B2B payment practices trends, Mexico 2024

Reports

Our survey of companies in Mexico reveals key insights into current B2B corporate payment trends. Explore emerging dynamics that could shape the future of business transactions.

Silvia Ungaro

Senior Advisor

3 Sep 2024

25 Sept 2024 - 20 min read

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Ongoing B2B payment struggles highlight strategic credit management gaps

Although 55% of companies in Mexico report that payment practices by B2B customers are consistent with the previous year, this masks ongoing difficulties for the highly significant automotive industry. It is a cornerstone of Mexico’s industrial landscape and continues to face
substantial challenges due to delayed payments and unreliable customer behaviour. These include unpredictable cashflow, problems in financial planning, and increased risk of liquidity shortages. In contrast, 27% of businesses, mainly in the chemicals sector, say there is improved B2B customer behaviour compared to last year. A minority of companies, primarily in the agri-food industry, report slower invoice payments.

Late payments impact 48% of Mexican B2B invoices, while bad debts average 6% of B2B credit sales, up from 4% last year, with the automotive sector being the most affected by poor B2B payment practices.

Silvia Ungaro

Featured expert

Silvia Ungaro

Senior Advisor

Overall, our survey finds that almost half of all invoices issued by Mexican companies in B2B trade are currently overdue, a steady percentage compared to a year earlier. An average 6% of all B2B invoices end up as bad debts, leading to further financial strain on businesses, with the automotive sector hardest hit. The main reasons cited for late payments are liquidity issues among B2B credit customers, along with invoice disputes and administrative inefficiencies within customer organisations. Businesses in Mexico tell us that invoices are paid, on average, 38 days beyond the due date, with the agri-food industry experiencing the longest delays

Summary

Mexican businesses address late payments by delaying investments, especially in the automotive sector, or postponing supplier payments. 60% rely on trade credit for short-term finance and focus on debt collection efficiency for financial resilience.
49% of B2B sales in Mexico are now on credit, up from last year. Payment terms remain stable, except in the agri-food sector, which has relaxed terms to boost sales.

The Atradius Payment Practices Barometer is an annual survey of business-to-business (B2B) payment practices in markets across the world. Its findings can give valuable insights into the current dynamics of corporate payment behaviour in B2B trade. It can also help companies doing business, or planning to do so, in the markets polled to identify emerging future trends in the payment practices of B2B customers.

Interested in finding out more?

For a complete overview of the 2024 survey results for Mexico and North America (USMCA), please download the full reports available in the related documents section below.