The stores remained open

Despite the pandemic situation, all DIY stores and home improvement and gardening retailers could remain open throughout the year 2020. Even during the nationwide total lockdown to face the first wave, the DIY retailers were allowed to continue their businesses. "They had a very successful time," industry experts agree.
The sales reviews of the leading home improvement retailers reflect this statement. The Romanian DIY market leader Dedeman made an increase in sales of 10.5 per cent in the year 2020. Sales totalled RON 9.082 bn (EUR 1.84 bn).
Leroy Merlin, a chain operated by the French Groupe Adeo, realised a turnover of EUR 445.5 mio and so increased its sales by 13.5 per cent compared to 2019.
The German chain Hornbach increased its sales in Romania 8.8 per cent to a total volume of EUR 430.9 mio.
However, the Romanian company Arabesque reports sales of EUR 350 mio which include the figures of its MatHaus chain. This means a decrease of 11 per cent compared to 2019. Despite this decrease, Arabesque continues to be the country's biggest Romanian distributor of DIY and building materials. The main focus is in MatHaus, its retail chain operating seven stores in Romania. In March 2021 the company launched a new campaign repositioning the retail brand towards construction specialists.
Regarding Brico Dépôt, British Kingfisher Group, its parent company, states a sales growth of 10.5 per cent in its recent full year report 2020/2021 (ended 31 January 2021). In 2019, total sales were put at EUR 180 mio.
However, the pandemic adds an interesting aspect when it comes to e-commerce. So 2020 was the year in which retailers increased their online sales a lot, due to the current context. All DIY retailers which already had e-commerce services and web shops increased their online sales; market leader Dedeman did so, as well as the German Hornbach chain, MatHaus and Brico Dépôt. But they also introduced new services, for example, click & collect or phone orders which they adapted to the pandemic situation.
Leroy Merlin was forced in a certain way to accelerate the implementation of its own online services and introduced them 2020 - one year earlier than announced and initially planned. So all specialised DIY retailers in Romania can now offer online sales services to their customers.
In 2020, despite the pandemic, DIY retailers in Romania opened more stores than in the last three years: Dedeman opened four stores, ending the year with 54 units in total, Leroy Merlin opened…