Up 32 per cent for Italian DIY stores in the first quarter

In the first quarter of this year, home improvement stores in Italy recorded sales totalling EUR 1.1524 bn, 32.2 per cent more than in the first three months of 2020, although sales then were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. The figures from market research company GfK were published by the Italian industry service "10 minutes DIY and garden". The garden range grew most, increasing by 73 per cent, with its proportion of overall sales rising from 6.4 to 8.2 per cent. Furniture performed even more strongly, with sales increasing by 77 per cent, although it only accounts for 3.5 per cent of the overall sales of Italian home improvement stores. The biggest merchandise group, plumbing and sanitary, accounting for 18.9 per cent, experienced a below-average increase in sales, growing by 22 per cent.