The strongest individual decline was recorded by B&Q in Great Britain with -5.3 per cent to GBP 3.488 bn. This reflects the completed programme to close 65 stores, as in like-for-like terms, an increase of 0.6 per cent remained. Digitally generated sales had a share of 4 per cent. Over the entire group, the digital share rose from 4 to 6 per cent.
Screwfix continues to provide very high growth. The professional sales channel gained 16.7 per cent to GBP 1.515 bn.
In France, both active sales channels there have lost: Castorama by 1.9 per cent to GBP 2.406 bn (like-for-like -2.4 per cent), Brico Dépôt by 4.2 per cent to GBP 1.981 bn (like-for-like -4.8 per cent).
Castorama also lost sales in Russia, and with GBP 391 mio, made 3.7 per cent less sales than in the previous year (like-for-like -5.8 per cent). A decline of 4.8 per cent (like-for-like -3.2 per cent) to GBP 316 mio was also reported by Kingfisher for Spain.
Poland counts as one of the positive posts in the Kingfisher annual balance sheet. Here, sales rose by 6.3 per cent (like-for-like 5.3 per cent) to GBP 1.384 bn.
Kingfisher reports profit of GBP 3 mio from Romania. Commitments in Germany with 18 Screwfix locations brought the Brits a loss of GBP 18 mio (2016/2017: GBP 14 mio).