Growth slowdown in Germany

The DIY and home improvement stores in Germany completed the first three quarters of 2012 with nominal sales growth of 0.4 per cent on the comparable period last year. According to data from the BHB, an industry association, the current total of over 2 400 stores together achieved gross sales of € 14.23 bn up to and including September. However, the result in like-for-like terms reveals a sales decline of 0.4 per cent. The unadjusted sales changes within the individual product categories fluctuated between growth of 5.0 per cent for electricals and a decline of 7.1 per cent in the area of leisure, hobbies and handicrafts. For the first time in years the garden sector (-1.4 per cent) failed to achieve the previous year’s result; it was forced to lower its expectations for sales of garden furniture and decorative lines (-5.7 per cent) in particular.