Trade at B&Q’s Irish stores improves

DIY retailer B&Q Ireland has shown signs of improved trading since emerging from examinership in May, its parent company said yesterday.

As part of its first-half results announcement, British retail group, Kingfisher — which owns the B&Q and Screwfix brands, amongst others — said that B&Q’s UK & Ireland sales fell by 1.8%, on a year-on-year basis, during the six months to the beginning of August, to £1.96bn (€2.33bn).

Outdoor seasonal product sales were up by around 6%, helped by a marked recovery in the second quarter; while sales of indoor products were down by approximately 3%.