About the market:

The value of the DIY market in France in 2004 shows an improving trend, after growth plummeted in 2003, in the context of a difficult global economic environment. While we estimate that the DIY market underperformed total consumer spending growth for the year, which was +3.8%, it has nonetheless broadly maintained a steady share of all spending over the last five years.

The DIY specialists’ sector enjoyed a remarkably strong 2004, recording a year-on-year sales increase of 10.7%, an extremely strong performance after the sluggish growth trend seen between 2001 and 2003, in the latter growth slumped to 3.7%. Growth appears to have been driven by a combination of factors – improving performances at some of the leading players, a strong increase in home renovation and extension activity during the year, and the new strategies employed by major players to extend their appeal to a wider consumer base.