FINANCE: B&Q owner Kingfisher group saw sales fall by 3.6% in Q3 to £2.8bn owing to weak consumer spending in France and other international markets.
However, sales at the company’s UK and Ireland stores rose by 4.9% to £1.14bn during the period, reflecting a stronger economy.
The group opened 12 new Screwfix stores in the UK during the quarter, taking the total to 371. Screwfix saw total sales rise by 25.2% to £225m in Q3.
Kingfisher operates DIY brands including B&Q, Castorama, Brico Dépôt, Screwfix and Turkish home improvement chain Koçtaş via a 50% joint venture with Koç Group.
