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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 5,948 - May 2026


That winning feeling


I’ve just returned from this year’s DIY Week Awards where we once again celebrated the great and the good of this amazing industry. It was another great event, but wasn’t just all the fantastic new products, innovations and retail strategies that stood out for me, all deserving winners of course, but the people behind these entries. The DIY Week Awards has become a truly global affair, as welcomed guest from all the over the UK, Europe and even from as far away as China. The atmosphere is the room was electric and I must thank all those who came to the awards ready to take part and enjoy themselves, it makes such a difference to the success of


the event. There was cheering and even some jeering at the winners, but all done in a positive spirit of fun and celebration. We all know times are hard and there are many challenges facing not just our retail industry sector, but the whole of retail, so a celebratory lunch offers us all the chance to let our hair down, forget our troubles and enjoy ourselves. Even before the awards kicked off at lunchtime, we’d already held another successful edition of the Trade Talks


conference in the morning. If you didn’t attend, you really missed out on some very interesting, entertaining and experience speakers from all walks of life that offered a broad mix of real-world business tips and useful advice. My thanks to Kerry and Clive Daley from Daley Hub for hosting the event and all the speakers for giving their valuable time. You can find out who won the awards in the news starting on page 4 of this issue, and as usual we’ll be publishing our Special Awards Supplement in the next issue.


Neil Mead, Editorial Director In This Issue...


P4 / NEWS


The latest headlines and breaking news from across the home improvement and gardening sectors


P12 / LIGHTING & ELECTRICAL


Light + Building 2026 highlighted the remarkable pace at which innovation is currently advancing the industry


Datateam Business Media Ltd, 15a London Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8LY


Tel: 01622 687031 www.datateam.co.uk


Published by: P15 / OUTDOOR LIVING


Cologne will once again become the international meeting point of the garden lifestyle industry in June


P23 / HOME OFFICE


Garden buildings are becoming the hardest-working rooms, as homeowners look for flexible spaces


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