Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

Latest News

Eco Technology Show expands

The Eco Technology Show, designed for a London and south-east audience, is promising to be a bigger event this year. 
11 March 2013

Mica members gather in Scotland

Mica DIY members and suppliers gathered for the voluntary group's Annual General Meeting and Supplier Exchange at the Dalmahoy Marriott Hotel outside Edinburgh on March 3 - the first time the group has taken its annual event north of the border. 
8 March 2013

Homebase Food on 4 sponsorship will showcase kitchens

Homebase has signed a sponsorship deal with Food on 4 television programmes that will allow it to showcase a range of home enhancement products. 
8 March 2013

Wickes to stock Dulux paint offer

The Travis Perkins-owned retailer, known for its policy of stocking almost entirely own-brand ranges, will now carry the Dulux paint range in its stores. 
8 March 2013

Online marketplace set up for UK nurseries

Newly-launched GreenPlantSwap will act as a new location-based online marketplace to help nurseries reach gardeners via the web without the hassle of setting up their own site. 
8 March 2013

Long-term investment drives strong performance at JLP

Partners will each walk away with a 17% bonus - almost nine weeks' pay - after John Lewis Partnership announced a 9.3% boost in annual gross sales, the retailer said today. 
7 March 2013

Dreams enters administration, 400 redundancies made

Bed retailer dreams has entered a pre-pack administration, with 90 stores earmarked for closure and 400 jobs culled. 
7 March 2013

Henkel reports record results

Adhesive and sealants firm saw sales rise 5.8% to 16,510m Euros in 2012, with operating profit up 15% 
7 March 2013

Top industry names prepare for second Global DIY Summit

The second Global DIY Summit will be taking place in Rome this June, with guest speakers from the country's leading DIY and home improvement brands. 
7 March 2013

300 jobs go as Axminster Carpets succumbs to administration

The historic Devon-based manufacturer Axminster Carpets finally collapsed into administration yesterday, a move which the company described as unavoidable. 
6 March 2013

February's shoppers drive retail sales to three-year high

Retailers have been given a welcome confidence boost this morning with the news that last month's retail sales enjoyed the strongest growth for three years. 
5 March 2013

Waitrose setting up garden centre trial

Waitrose is looking to extend its presence in the horticultural products market by trialling a small garden centre. 
5 March 2013

Debenhams sales plummet 10% during snow-hit weeks

Homewares department store Debenhams suffered a significant drop in like-for-like sales during the last two weeks of January as heavy snow kept shoppers from the high street. 
4 March 2013

Camberley set for third Next Home and Garden opening

Next is to take its Home and Garden format into the south east for the first time when it opens its third store later this year in Camberley. 
4 March 2013

Sterling Locks to expand following acquisition by German firm

German security products producer and distributor Burg-Wachter today announced the acquisition of Sterling Locks - a deal described by the Leeds-based company as "very positive and exciting". 
4 March 2013

Home Hardware Scotland holds first ever conference

The dealer-owned wholesaler celebrated its 30th anniversary with its first ever members' conference at Airth Castle Hotel over the weekend of February 23-24. 
1 March 2013

Alan Titchmarsh to develop horticultural offer at Waitrose

Just weeks after his contract ended with B&Q, celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh has joined forces with John Lewis Partnership supermarket Waitrose to help launch new horticulture and gardening ranges. 
1 March 2013

Multiple retailers shut 20 shops a day last year

During 2012 an average of 20 multiple retailers closed down everyday on the high street, according to new research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Local Data Company. 
28 February 2013

Retail growth slowed in February, says CBI

The first two weeks of February saw sales volumes continue to strengthen, but the pace of growth slowed for the third consecutive month, according to the latest CBI distributive trades survey. 
27 February 2013

Kitchenware supplier Uutensil joins BHETA

The latest company to sign up with the British Home Enhancement Trades Association is kitchen tools and gadgets supplier Uutensil. 
27 February 2013
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