“A demanding consumer”

What major trends are currently evident in the Polish DIY market? We have already got a market that is no longer a market of penetration but a mature one that is rather a market of stagnation than of development. When it comes to big boxes of around 10 000 m², there are no towns left where stores of this format can be established now. Instead we are tending towards a market of complementarities. You go to one store for décor and to another for building materials. You can put a name to them: Castorama has taken on the building spot, Leroy Merlin that of décor. These are moving somewhat towards the role of discounter, since their ranges are limited by price at every level of the product offer, whether that be installation, do-it-yourself or decoration. It is my observation that retailers try to limit themselves to a certain pricing level. Talking about the pricing structure: it doesn’t go any higher than the middle of the range here. It is pointless to look for higher prices or more specialised pro­duct ranges. This brings us to a war that I would call a war between discounters. Now there may be differences in terms of service supplied by better staff, but playing the personnel game these days, well… At the same time it is evident that this leaves a large part of the market to specialist stores, which are proliferating. The superstores are no longer present in this segment, whether that is tools, installation or decoration, plumbing or lighting. A demanding clientele will turn to these specialists and find greater choice there. These days you can see the advent of commercial centres that go by the name of Domoteka, and of chains of specialist shops as well. That is in fact where a more demanding client goes to find what he is looking for, what he can no longer find in the other stores. They have chosen their range policy. Will this be the role of Polish businesses, of Mrówka for example? The Mrówkas are going to progress at a very, very rapid rate of expansion, but these shops are intended for small towns. Brico Dépôt hasn’t taken up a stand in favour of small towns, Bricoman is expanding extremely slowly, and that leaves room for people like Mrówka. A word on Polish consumers, please! What are their preferences? How are they different from consumers in western Europe? Consumers in Poland have certain specific preferences if you are talking about taste in decoration and suchlike, even in the sanitary field. It isn’t actually the same market as in other…