B&Q has failed to capitalise on the distress of Bunnings, its rival, after poor weather hit first-quarter sales. Kingfisher, the parent company of the hardware outlets B&Q and Screwfix, which is run by the Frenchwoman Véronique Laury, said that like-for-like sales at B&Q had plunged by 9 per cent in the three months to April 30, hurt by the “beast from the east” weather. Two heavy bouts of snow meant that 41 B&Q stores were shut for a few days, hitting sales at a time when customers typically start to buy garden equipment and undertake DIY projects. Screwfix, the fast growing brand catering to builders and serious DIY-ers, performed better with like-for-like sales up 3.6 per cent but it too was hurt by the weather…

Source: The Times May 24, 2018 22:52 UTC