B&Q slashed prices on paint and wallpaper to encourage homeowners to make the best of the wet weather by getting on with the decorating, owner Kingfisher said today.
The UK’s biggest DIY chain — facing record rainfall in April and June — saw paint sales jump more than 20% while wallpaper sales rose nearly 10% year-on-year.
The washout in a traditionally big seasonal quarter for the retailer wasn’t enough to make up the price cuts needed to shift flowers and plants as would-be gardeners stayed indoors.
But UK like-for-like sales were still in positive territory in the 10 weeks to July 7, rising 1.1%. Unsurprisingly sales of hosepipes were down 38% year on year.
Chief executive Ian Cheshire said: “Additional marketing and promotional activity encouraged customers to switch their activity to internal repairs and projects.”
