UK DIY & Gardening Sector Report summary
September 2021
Period covered: Period covered: 1 – 28 August 2021
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 growth rose by 00% YoY in August, against a 12.5% rise a year ago. Compared with pre-pandemic times, sales growth accelerated by 00%.
August was the first full month of relatively few Covid-19 restrictions, boosting confidence amongst consumers.
With a sense of normality returning, consumers were busier with more time spent outside homes, impacting the performance of the category.
Online Household goods rose against a strong comparison a year ago (+93.8%).
Kingfisher reported that e-commerce sales growth remained 21.2% ahead of 2020 levels (6 months to 31 July 2021) driven by continued strong demand. The shift to the online channel since the onset of the pandemic resulted in e-commerce sales accounting for 00% of total group sales (H1 20/21) compared to just 7% a year ago (H1 19/20).
Retail Economics forecasts DIY & Gardening sales to grow by 00% YoY in 2021, reaching total sales of £00bn.
DIY & Gardening has been one of the few non-food retail sectors to maintain positive growth during the Covid-19 crisis. The sector has benefited from people choosing to spend on home improvements during lockdown, while stores selling DIY and gardening items have remained open, owing to their essential status.
We expect to see a shift in discretionary spending towards leisure-orientated sectors (e.g. clothing, hospitality) as restrictions are lifted over 2021. However, the outlook for DIY & Gardening remains strong, supported by continued momentum in the housing market and reunions with family and friends in spring/summer which will boost gardening segments.
However, Retail Economics forecasts online DIY & Gardening sales to decline by 00% in 2021, reflecting unfavourable year-on-year comparisons with 2020. In 2021, overall online penetration will remain above 2019’s pre-pandemic levels at 00% for total sales.
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Online household goods remains in positive territory
Source: ONS, Retail Economics analysis