Relatively quiet

2017 was a relatively quiet year for home improvement retailers in Germany. Sales in the domestic and foreign markets increased by over two per cent. However, the big rival player Amazon is looming on the horizon. At the International Hardware Fair in Cologne, the editorial team of the German trade magazine diy (Dähne Verlag) presented the first results of their renowned publication "Statistik Baumarkt + Garten D-A-CH 2018" ("Statistics home improvement + garden"), which presents figures and analysis for the home improvement and garden sector in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
There were no massive surprises in the home improvement business in Germany in 2017. The top 20 German DIY store operators increased their sales at home and abroad by EUR 741 mio in all to EUR 31.269 bn, according to provisional figures from the diy editorial team. This equates to growth of 2.4 per cent. The rise in sales was more modest in relation to Germany alone, where the sales of the 20 biggest market players grew by EUR 474 mio to EUR 21.852 bn (up 2.2 per cent).
The undisputed number one among German home improvement retailers is Obi with total sales of 7.4 bn euros (Germany: 3.81 bn euros), followed by Bauhaus (EUR 6.38 bn; Germany: EUR 3.68 bn) and Hornbach (EUR 4.53 bn; Germany: EUR 2.43 bn). The biggest percentage increase in sales was recorded by DIY chain Kaes, which has 13 stores in all, with growth of 10.4 per cent. The highest absolute growth in sales both in and outside Germany was achieved by Hornbach (+EUR 230 mio) and - although only in relation to Germany - Globus (+EUR 77 mio).

Since 2002 the sales of the top 20 home improvement retailers in Germany have risen by EUR 9.5 bn to EUR 32.269 bn currently, equivalent to an increase of well over 40 per cent. This growth is due primarily to expansion abroad, however. While sales in Germany during the same period only increased by EUR 3.2 bn to EUR 21.852 bn (+17 per cent), sales in other countries increased by EUR 6.1 bn to 9.682 bn. This is a percentage increase of an incredible 170 per cent.
The other key figures for the sector, number of stores and retail area, also evolved virtually in parallel with the sales figures in 2017. Within the year, the number of stores increased by 3.8 per…