Satisfaction among Holland’s DIY retailers

The main reason for this high was the level of economic activity. The general public was doing well economically and had money to spend. Consequently consumers went for high-quality products which cost somewhat more. Which brought more money into retailers’ tills.
DIY superstores proved once again to be the big winners. They achieved a sales increase in almost every segment. This certainly also stemmed from the trend towards incorporating high-quality products in their ranges.
Striking developments are evident in the different segments. The wallpaper section, for example, declined by five per cent in terms of sales. Only the more expensive rolls priced in excess of NLG 35 (16 euro) provided a certain amount of light in the darkness. End consumers preferred textured paint to wallpaper, and wallpaper paste joined in the decline of this segment. An eight per cent increase in sales was discernible in the sanitary category. Here too the demand was for expensive luxury products. However, shower screens were the exception in that they forfeited eleven per cent in number of units sold and as much of 28 per cent in terms of sales. Shower trays, on the other hand, increased by nine per cent in number of units sold and by 21 per cent in sales. The popularity of TV programmes about do-it-yourself and consumer magazines ensured higher-quality products in the taps and mixers segment of DIY superstores.
Adhesives also sold very well. Special-purpose adhesives recorded growth of 26 per cent to NLG 67 Mio (31 Mio euro). Assembly adhesives were responsible for one third of sales. This segment grew by 9.9 per cent. Superglues recorded an increase of 10.7 per cent, which gave them the biggest growth. Good results were also achieved by epoxy and hobby adhesives. Losses were recorded by wood glues and contact adhesives (minus 3.5 per cent) and wall and flooring adhesives (minus 6 per cent).
If paint and coatings maintain their growth this year they will cross the NLG 1 000 Mio (459 Mio euro) threshold for the first time. In 1999 sales of paint and coatings rose by just under five per cent to NLG 956 Mio (439 Mio euro), with private labels responsible for most of the growth. Paint mixers accounted for half the increase in DIY superstores, which knocks for six one of the specialists’ arguments about providing service. One striking fact is that blended paints cost half as much in DIY stores as in specialist stores, which mainly used more expensive paints.
Sales growth in the power…