Kingfisher continues to grow in double-digit figures in November and December

B&Q is Kingfisher's main sales channel in the UK and in Ireland. Sales in these countries recorded double-digit growth rates in November and December.

The British Kingfisher group has reported continued double-digit growth rates. However there are negative outliers in several countries due to the respective coronavirus situation.

In November, like-for-like overall sales of the group grew by 11.4 per cent. The strongest increase was in Great Britain and Ireland with 24.0 per cent. In France, sales stagnated (-0.1 per cent) compared to the previous year due to the lockdown in that month. The other countries: Poland +0.2 per cent, Spain and Portugal -6.3 per cent, Romania +17.4 per cent.

December was completed by all national companies with sometimes high levels of growth so that the overall group made like-for-like 22.1 per cent more sales than in the same month of the previous year: Great Britain and Ireland +20.8 per cent, France +29.4 per cent, Poland +9.7 per cent, Spain and Portugal + 20.6 per cent and Romania +12.5 per cent.

The high level of growth also continued into January with an increase of 16.2 per cent in the week before 9 January.

Constant three-digit and almost equally high were the gains in e-commerce of the overall group, namely +155.4 per cent in November and +154.3 per cent in December. In the two last November weeks, the plus lay at more than 160 per cent, in the Christmas week it was even 215.6 per cent.

In a statement on the preliminary report, CEO Thierry Garnier emphasised that sustainable long-term growth is being aimed for. "We also believe that the renewed focus on homes is supportive for our markets," he added.