German home improvement sales in 2021 significantly short of previous year

This year, home improvement stores in Germany are set to experience a 9.1 per cent downturn in sales compared with the record year of 2020. This forecast was set out by market researcher Klaus Peter Teipel at the conference of the German industry association BHB, a purely digital event staged yesterday and today. Teipel stated, however, that "if the special effects of 2020 are taken out, we are on an entirely normal growth curve". This is because, compared with 2019, a sales volume of 23.9 bn euros this year equates to an increase of 3.9 per cent. On the other hand, the forecast indicates that speciality garden centres will grow by 10.0 per cent.
The forecasts for the coming year are also cautious and the average scenario indicates a modest drop in sales of 0.2 per cent for home improvement stores. Teipel stated clearly, however, that "Germany is still a DIY country, the demand trend is uninterrupted". According to Teipel's analysis, demand remains strong in the product groups relevant for larger customer projects.
The growth rates in e-commerce with core DIY ranges have virtually halved this year. With an increase of 16.7 per cent forecast, a volume of EUR 5.986 bn is reached. The DIY stores account for 24.1 per cent of this. They have increased their online sales this year by 18.9 per cent and 6.9 per cent of their overall sales are transacted online. "The end of the line has not yet been reached," said Teipel.