Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher celebrates DIY boom amid the pandemic with sales soaring 16.9%

Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher celebrates DIY boom amid the pandemic with sales soaring 16.9%

Bored stay-at-home workers mean DIY sales are still booming

Bored stay-at-home workers mean DIY sales are still booming, says the B&Q and Screwfix owner. 

Sales at Kingfisher, which also owns Castorama and Brico Depot in France, soared 16.9 per cent in the 10 weeks to January 9, with online growth of more than 150 per cent compared with the same period a year ago. 

With ‘essential’ retail status allowing its 1,380 stores to remain open, sales in the UK and Ireland rocketed before Christmas. 

Pre-tax profits for the year are likely to be at the top end of City expectations of £742 million. This will include an £85 million one-off profit from the pandemic chaos. Kingfisher bosses said they expect sales at Screwfix to hit £2 billion this year.