German DIY stores catching up

The German DIY stores with an indoor retail area in excess of 1 000 m² achieved a slight 0.8 per cent increase in sales to € 9.095 bn in the first six months of 2005. However, the result in like-for-like terms compared with the previous year is a deficit of one per cent, according to the current DIY Panel. The DIY and building stores succeeded in recording growth in the category of garden hardware (garden equipment and watering products) in the second half of June. As a result, the watering category clocked up sales of a good € 44 mio in June 2005. This amounts to an increase of 35 per cent in comparison with the same month last year. Furthermore, the information from BHB says that the categories of building materials/chemical products, tiles, tools and machines, with the highest rates of growth within the first six months, are also among the current winners of the year 2005.