Half-year results in Germany still negative

After a negative start to the year, DIY stores in Germany achieved sales growth again in the second quarter. However, because the balance sheet for the first half of the year as a whole still shows a decline of 1.0 per cent (on an adjusted basis, -0.7 per cent) to EUR 11.04 bn, the interim conclusion of the German DIY trade association BHB, which published the figures from the GfK Total Store Report, is cautious.

“Our hopes for improvement after the difficult first quarter have only been partially fulfilled,” emphasises Peter Abraham, acting spokesman for the BHB’s executive board. According to a press release issued by the association, the whole of Germany is still waiting for clear signals from politicians regarding construction and renovation.

Traditional DIY store product ranges such as power tools (-5.4 per cent) and tiles (-4.9 per cent) are losing ground, as are products from the…