Germans love DIY

The latest European Consumer Barometer, a survey from the Dresdner-Cetelem Kreditbank, shows that more money was invested in DIY products in Germany again in 2007 than in the other countries of Europe. Although the market volume has fallen off by an estimated two per cent, Germany still remains by far the most important market in Europe for the DIY retail sector. With sales estimated at € 38.25 bn, Germany is well able to defend its leading position against Britain (€ 23.80 bn). The French are again in third position (€ 20.85 bn). The biggest rates of growth are to be found in central Europe: increases in excess of 30 per cent in Czechia and Serbia, and in excess of 20 per cent in Russia. Download: Market volume in 13 countries (PDF file) In a comparison with the previous year, the Germans topped up their annual DIY superstore budget by an additional € 21 in 2007. An average investment of € 976 was made in drills, gypsum boards, etc in Germany. The British and Belgians were close behind, with average sums of € 951 and € 944 respectively changing hands at the DIY store checkouts. Households in the 13 countries surveyed spent € 548 on average last year. Download: Average spend per household (PDF) A slight upturn in the average buying intentions in Europe is evident. Whereas one-quarter of respondents were planning to budget for DIY store purchases in 2007, the figure for 2008 is 27 per cent already. German households report a minimal increase of one percentage point by comparison with the previous year. Overall 31 per cent are intending to invest in DIY store products this year. Download: Buying intentions for DIY and garden tools (PDF) Download: Investment intentions for renovation work (PDF) Last year one in four Germans obtained information on the internet prior to buying a DIY article. Only in Britain and Belgium did a similarly high number of the DIYers surveyed obtain the requisite information in this way. “For this reason it is also worthwhile for over-the-counter retailers to draw attention to themselves on the internet with an attractive selection of products and individual service features,” concludes Gerald Schmid, product manager consumer products at the Dresdner-Cetelem Kreditbank. The British made most intensive use of the internet in 2007 for purchases of DIY store articles (14 per cent), followed by the Germans (9 per cent) and the Belgians (7 per cent). Download: Internet purchases (PDF)