B&Q, the main British sales channel, recorded a drop in sales of 3.3 per cent to GBP 3.680 bn. This reflects the closure of the remaining 35 stores, so that now all 65 originally planned closures have been carried out. B&Q made a like-for-like increase of 3.5 per cent.
Screwfix continues to bring in high double-digit growth. After 60 openings, an increase of 23.2 per cent to GBP 1.299 bn was achieved (like-for-like: 13.8 per cent). At the end of January there were 517 locations in Great Britain. Kingfisher has now raised its original goal of 600 locations to 700.
In France, Castorama stores have lost 2.4 per cent with sales of GBP 2.308 bn (like-for-like: -3.0 per cent). The Brico Dépôt sales channel held its previous year's level with GBP 1.946 bn, but lost 2.3 per cent like-for like.
In comparison, Kingfisher in Poland profited from a supportive market and turned over GBP 1.191 bn, i.e. 10.1 per cent more than the same period last year (like-for-like 7.5 per cent).
The Russian Castorama stores made a slight loss of 0.2 per cent with GBP 349 mio and also only made a like-for-like increase in sales of 0.3 per cent.
In Spain, sales increased by 2.1 per cent (like-for-like 0.5 per cent) to GBP 312 mio.Brico Dépôt stores in Romania achieved a breakeven result. In comparison, the three stores in Portugal are still bringing in losses.
The British are showing themselves to be very expansionary in Germany. Another ten Screwfix stores have been opening here. Therefore they haven't now only doubled their number of locations to 19, but also their losses to a most recent GBP 14 mio.