Anything but pessimistic

Jochen Ludwig is Chief Commercial Officer at Obi and, with only brief interruptions, has been with the company for more than 30 years. During this time, he has held various positions: amongst other roles, he served as Director of Category Management & Purchasing in China and Poland, and as Country Manager in the Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland. Thanks to his many years of experience, he knows the sector inside out. At the 17th IVG Forum Gartenmarkt – the conference organised by the German Garden Manufacturers’ Association – on 5 November 2026 at the Maritim Hotel in Düsseldorf, Jochen Ludwig will speak about Obi’s position in the garden market. He will examine the tradition and future of the garden product range. We asked him in advance about the current situation in the sector.

Mr Ludwig, sales figures in the DIY sector are currently rather mixed. Do you nevertheless look to the future with confidence?

Jochen Ludwig: Absolutely. Our sector has experienced and successfully overcome crises in the past, although the current situation must be assessed differently due to its multidimensional nature. Nevertheless, people’s own homes remain a fundamental priority even in times of crisis; in some circumstances, they may even take on greater significance during such times – something Covid has taught us for the long term.

The key is not to view the generally understandable reluctance to spend as a problem, but rather as a call for the retail sector to adapt. We need new perspectives, different offerings and solutions. With the right strategy, we will be able to overcome this situation too. We at Obi are working on this very successfully and therefore look to the future with anything but pessimism.

How can the sector overcome the current stagnation?

There is certainly no one-size-fits-all solution for every player in our sector. The companies and their capabilities are simply too diverse for that. What unites us, however, is the very essence of retail: I will only be able to sell my products if my offering is right. And I do not mean this purely in terms of prices, although these currently play an immense role given our target groups’ tighter budgets. What I am much more focused on is the challenge of looking closely at what has really changed in…