Continuing difficult market

Kesko continues to struggle with the domestic market in Finland. The DIY and specialist store branches lost 11.7 per cent sales revenue in the first half-year. However, if one excludes the department store chain Anttila which Kesko sold in March, the minus is reduced to 2.9 per cent in Finland. The group turned over a total of 2.8 per cent less abroad but calculated in local currencies and without Anttila, it was 5.5 per cent more. On balance there was a minus of 7.9 per cent from January to June in the branch with a turnover of € 1.5532 bn, currency adjusted and without Anttila, a plus of 1.0 per cent.