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Founded in 1874 No 5,918 - Novemberer 2023 www.diyweek.net


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© 2023 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 DIY Week includes some editorial photographs provided and paid for by suppliers. Printed by Buxton Press.


In This Issue... Was your Friday black or blue?


Thanks to the advent of ‘Black Friday’, November has now become one of the busiest months on the retail calendar; however, early indications are that it has been a more muted affair in 2023 compared with previous years. Sales in cash terms are expected to be on a par with 2022, but prices are higher due to a year of rampant inflation, meaning fewer items will have actually be sold over the US-inspired discount period. By lunchtime on actual ‘Black Friday’, some retailers reported seeing a slight uplift, but online activity was flat and footfall down more than 5% at shopping destinations.


The anecdotal evidence suggests trading was in line with expectations and that sales will


be just 0.4% up over last year, reaching £8.7bn between Friday morning and Monday night, according to analysis by GlobalData for Vouchercodes.co.uk. That compares with inflation of 3.4% on non-food items in October, according to the British Retail Consortium. No longer a single-day event, the Black Friday sales now start in November and run for several weeks, smoothing out the big dash which first came to the UK a decade ago. Increasing scepticism about the potential deals on offer and concerns about online fraud have dampened excitement around the event, as well as the restrictions on spending money amid the cost of living crisis. While most retailers now feel compelled to take advantage of this sale period, I’m not sure if the DIY sector enjoys much benefit. Rather than being a special event, shoppers just expect discounts and lower prices, but at least it serves as a way to kick-off the Christmas trading period. I hope it was successful for you, please get in touch and let me know.


Neil Mead, Editorial Director nmead@datateam.co.uk


P4 / NEWS


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


P19 / PLUMBING & HARDWARE


InSinkErator showcased its latest kitchen tech to visitors of Grand Designs Live in October this year


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Published by P23 / LIGHTING & ELECTRICAL


Focus on sustainability and digitalisation at Messe Frankfurt’s Forum during Light + Building 2024


P33 / MERCHANDISING & POS


It’s not long till the big day. But the question is, this year, are you faking it or keeping it real?


dktools.com www.diyweek.net NOVEMBER 2023 DIY WEEK 3


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