Steady growth in France

The French DIY market, including garden categories, attained a volume of € 17.55 bn in 2003. This amounts to a nominal growth rate of 3.85 per cent and real growth of 2.05 per cent over the previous year, according to figures from the manufacturers’ association Unibal. This growth was mainly sustained by DIY stores over 300 m² in size, which saw an increase of 5.4 per cent (3.6 per cent in real terms) and consequently achieved a market share of 65.3 per cent. The builders’ merchant sector lags behind these figures where growth is concerned, though still maintaining a share of somewhat more than one-fifth. According to the study, sales made on the Internet are not so far of any significance.