87% of European businesses say capital trapped in equipment is constraining growth
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions research shows that European businesses are re-evaluating equipment investment decisions as capital, technology and lifecycle pressures intensify.
The European Business Equipment Outlook 2026, based on research among more than 1,000 C-suite and senior decision-makers across Europe, found that 87% of business leaders have experienced growth constraints because capital remained tied up in owned physical assets.
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions CEO Neil Pein, says: “For many businesses, the issue is no longer whether to invest, but how to invest without unnecessarily tying up capital that could be deployed elsewhere. Capital lock‑up is reducing flexibility for European businesses at a time when they need it most. Leaders want to invest in growth, innovation and sustainability, but too much capital remains locked into assets that can quickly lose value.”
The research also highlights growing pressure from accelerating technology cycles. Business leaders are almost unanimous (95%) in their belief that equipment becomes obsolete faster than it did five years ago while 64% say uncertainty about future technology is delaying capital expenditure decisions.
Alongside financial and technology pressures, the report points to a growing operational challenge around lifecycle management.
Nearly nine in ten organisations (87%) say managing the end-of-life of owned equipment is challenging, while 68% say the ease of refurbishment, reuse, recycling or disposal now influences procurement decisions.
