Floorspace growth in France

The large-format DIY stores in France forfeited around 2.6 per cent of their sales in 2009 (to end November). On the other hand, the average retail area of 3 001 m² in 2008 rose by a further 3.2 per cent, according to statistics from the manufacturers' association Unibal. The combined retail area of the DIY stores showed an increase of three per cent (2008: 7.313 mio m²).