B&Q sales drop as households cut back

B&Q owner Kingfisher said quarterly sales at the UK’s biggest DIY chain remained under pressure after shoppers put off “big-ticket” purchases.

The retailer’s decision to run fewer promotions contributed to the downturn as B&Q’s like-for-like sales fell 4.3% in the 10 weeks to July 10, compared with a drop of 2.8% in the first quarter of its financial year.