Retailers everywhere facing tough times

Retailing, never an easy occupation, is tougher right now than it has been for about a decade

Parquet in demand

The European parquet market is continuing to grow, though there are still major differences in terms of production and consumption in the individual countries

Kingfisher to close Trade Depot

The DIY retailer is withdrawing from the trade market

New staff training qualification

B&Q has become the first UK retailer to offer a nationally recognised home improvement qualification

In a challenging environment

Kingfisher aims to stimulate the business of its B&Q outlets in the United Kingdom through revamping stores, introducing more services and adding …

German-Danish cross-border traffic

A DIY store wholly geared to Danish customers has been built in the German town of Harrislee, only a few hundred metres away from the border with…

New marketing concepts

Adeo is making diversification a priority. The theme of furnishing and decorating is being established as an independent trading brand, to be followed by …

DIY boom in August

The first data on the Italian home improvement market computed by GfK Marketing Services Italy reveals that total sales of the Italian DIY superstore chains are …

Many-faceted

For 30 years Praktiker has had success in Germany with the group's value-for-money image. However, the international business is what brings the growth figures - and …

Worst fears confirmed

It has been a disappointing year for DIY retailers in the United Kingdom. In 2007 it still looked as if the less than buoyant trading of the previous couple …

Down but not out

Strength in the midfield

The merger of HDB (Hubo, Doeland, Big Boss) and Serboucom (Multimate) has resulted in the creation of the biggest group in the DIY sector in the …

Tough start

Market growth in France

The French garden market grew by 3.4 per cent in 2007 compared with the previous year, despite capricious weather during the main gardening season