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© 2026 Datateam Business Media Ltd. DIY Week incorporates Decor Retailing, DIY Retail Leaders, DIY Superstore, Do-It- Yourself Retailing, Domestic Electrical Appliances, Excellence In Garden Retailing, Excellence In Woodcare Retailing, Excellence In Timber Retailing, Excellence In Tile Retailing, Garden Retail Leaders, Garden Retailing, Hardware Merchandiser, Hardware Trade Journal, Homecentre, Home Storage Retailing, The Ironmonger, Ironmongery & Hardware, Lighting, Martineau & Smith’s Monthly Circular, Mercantile Guardian, Superstore Management, Tools Retailing, and Wholesale Leaders. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in DIY Week. However, Datateam Business Media Ltd will not be liable for any inaccuracies. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. DIY Week is registered at Stationers’ Hall. ISSN 0954-8823. DIY Week is printed on environmentally friendly paper; both text paper and cover stock are elementary chlorine free and sourced from paper suppliers with a well planned environmental policy. This issue of DIYWeek includes some editorial photographs provided and paid for by suppliers. Printed by Buxton Press.
Founded in 1874 No 5,946 - March 2026
It’s been an exciting time in the DIY Week office as the team looks forward and prepares
for this year’s DIY Week Awards. In the supplier category, all the amazing products entered have been examined, tested and discussed by the judges and the scores are in. Now the anticipation is building to find out who the winners are when announced at the presentation lunch event in May. Now it’s your turn to vote for the winners in the Retailer categories, so please head online to
www.diyweekawards.co.uk/vote and cast your votes. On a more sober note, the ongoing crisis in the Middle East is, unsurprisingly, rippling far beyond the region itself – and our sector is feeling it too. With key shipping routes under pressure and heightened geopolitical uncertainty, supply chains for DIY, home improvement and garden products have become a little less predictable than we’d all like. Longer transit times, fluctuating freight costs and occasional delays in raw materials,
particularly those linked to oil-based products, plastics and metals, are creating challenges for suppliers and retailers alike. For an industry that thrives on seasonal peaks and timely availability, even small disruptions can have a noticeable knock-on effect. That said, it’s far from all doom and gloom. If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that this industry is
remarkably resilient. Many businesses have already diversified sourcing, strengthened supplier relationships and built more flexibility into their logistics models. Those strategies are now proving their worth. There’s also an opportunity here. Greater focus on local sourcing, smarter stock management and clearer communication across the supply chain could leave the sector stronger in the long run. While the situation remains fluid, the DIY market has consistently shown its ability to adapt, and there’s every reason to believe it will do so again.
Neil Mead, Editorial Director In This Issue...
P4 / NEWS
The latest headlines and breaking news from across the home improvement and garden sectors
P13 / ADHESIVES & SEALANTS
Bonding the future: How new adhesive & sealant technologies are transforming DIY retail
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Published by: P24 / MERCHANDISING & POS
Smarter stores, stronger sales: How independent DIY retailers can win thanks to smarter POS systems
P29 / SPRING FAIR REVIEW
Retailers who attended Spring Fair this year reported a renewed sense of energy, scale and confidence
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