Positive quarter

A GfK/BHB report reveals that the DIY retailers in Germany improved their sales figures in the third quarter of 2008 by 2.8 per cent. As a result, the sector was 0.7 per cent below last year’s sales figure at the end of September, or -2.2 per cent in like-for-like terms. The DIY stores achieved sales growth up to the end of September through garden hardware (+0.6 per cent), garden furniture/decoration (+2.2 per cent) and sanitary/heating (+3.6 per cent). There was a 0.4 per cent decline in the coatings and accessories product category.