Latest full-year figures from Wilko Retail reveal that the variety retailer has had a tough 12 months, with sales and profits sliding.
Wilko - which has rebranded from Wilkinson - suffered a 4.4% drop in sales in its 2013/14 year, from £1,529.7m the previous year to £1,462.8m. Operating profit, which recovered substantially in 2012/13, jumping 31% to £25.3m, has now dipped by 1.7% to £24.9m, and gross profit is down 3.1% to £604.6m.

However, the company also cut the cost of sales and wages, and directors' salaries were slashed by almost half, and pre-tax profit nudged up 0.4%, from £27.5m to £27.6m.

Around 15% of the offer in Wilko, which trades from 374 stores, is down to DIY products. And as buyer for DIY, John Cosford, told DIY Week in an exclusive interview for DIY Retail Leaders 2014, sales in this particular sector are growing ahead of the company average.

The decorating and DIY category has also just undergone a major category review. "We've re-merchandised every single metre of all the decorating and paint and DIY areas, and every single range has been looked at and every single product," said Mr Cosford.

New brands have been brought in, and new livery has been introduced across own brands. The review has also resulted in the launch of Wilko's first own-brand power tool range.

The last 12 months have also seen Wilko introduce a new-look website, which carries around 95% of its decorating and DIY lines, plus some extended ranges, for example, wallpaper.

Read more about Wilko and the rest of the UK's leading DIY retailers in DIY Retail Leaders, out with this Friday's issue of DIY Week