Uneven development

Of Europe’s three major DIY markets, Germany, the United Kingdom and France, the greatest amount of growth in 2004 was achieved by the UK market. British market researchers Verdict have come up with a figure of € 24.2 bn (£ 16.8 bn) for the DIY and garden market in the United Kingdom, which amounts to growth of 4.9 per cent over 2003.
Although there are no final figures available yet for the French DIY market, the manufacturers’ association Unibal, which calculates the annual progress of the market, is taking an increase of between 4 and 5 per cent over 2003 as its basis for 2004. The market in France assumes a value of € 18.3 bn if an increase of 4.5 per cent is taken as the basis. Unibal calculated a 5.4 per cent sales increase for the DIY superstores, but a deficit of 2.3 per cent for the food sector.
It appears from the findings of the DIY Panel of the German industry association BHB that the DIY market in Germany experienced very weak development. The market volume rose by no more than 0.16 per cent to € 36.64 bn in 2004. The DIY superstores accounted for € 21.7 bn of the total, or 0.7 per cent more than the previous year. A figure of € 14.9 bn is put on the remaining DIY trade sales, which amounts to a decline of 0.93 per cent over 2003. The sales of DIY stores with a minimum retail area of 1 000 m² grew by 1.3 per cent to € 17.482 bn, though the sales trend came to a standstill in like-for-like terms.
Europe’s Top Ten
The top position in the European DIY market is still occupied by Kingfisher, and that by a wide margin. The UK company achieved sales of € 11.275 bn in 2004, thereby generating 2.3 times more than Leroy Merlin, the company in second place. The French group reached this position on the league table for the first time in 2004, when it supplanted Obi through achieving sales of € 4.825 bn. Praktiker was able to retain its fourth position.
The former UK DIY group Focus Wickes, which sold its Wickes stores at the end of 2004, has dropped out of the ranks of the Top Ten. This has resulted in Bauhaus moving up to fifth place. The Rewe group of companies (Toom/ Zack) has also dropped out, with Hagebau taking its place.
Kingfisher, Europe’s number one, can look back on a successful 2004 business year, when its B&Q, Castorama, Brico Dépôt and Brico Stock channels achieved an 8.7 per cent increase in sales. Like-for-like growth came to 3.9 per cent.
The Leroy Merlin group was able to increase its sales volume by 15 per cent. In addition to group…