UK DIY & Gardening Sector Report summary
June 2022
Period covered: Period covered: 01 May – 28 May 2022
Note: This report summary is one or two months behind the current month as standard reporting practice. The content is indicative only and incomplete with certain data undisclosed. Become a member to access this data or take out a free 30 day membership trial now.
DIY & Gardening Sales
DIY & Gardening sales fell 00% YoY in May, against robust 00% growth a year earlier, according to the Retail Economics Retail Sales Index (value, non-seasonally adjusted).
DIY & Gardening continues to struggle to match the highs of last Spring when social distancing measures were in place and households were spending more time in their homes and gardens. The weather also failed to stimulate gardening, with the month being the least sunny May since 2014.
Online Household Goods sales declined by -00% YoY in May, compared with 8.1% growth a year ago.
Shoppers becoming cautious
Cost of living pressures are starting to impact the behaviours of DIY shoppers, including more price comparison and shopping around before buying, and a greater focus on the second-hand market (e.g. upcycling, repairs).
Our research shows that almost a 00 of UK consumers plan to buy second-hand or shop on re-sale sites more often in response to the rising cost of living.
As high inflation constrains budgets, the resale market offers an affordable shopping option to cash strapped shoppers, but also meets growing desires from consumers to minimise their impact on the environment.
Sector outlook
Despite cost of living pressures, lockdown highlighted the importance of domestic environments with many timid DIYers finding success and gaining confidence to continue improvements.
Supply chain disruption is also easing. The improved availability of garden furniture and equipment will come as a relief to retailers, as consumers gear up for the summer.
However, we still expect DIY & Gardening sales to dip over 2022, reflecting tough comparisons and a harsher macro backdrop.
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Thinking about your non-essential shopping this year, what do you plan to do in response to the rising cost of living?
Source: Retail Economics. Sample: 2,000 UK households.