Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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B&Q celebrates “triumphant return” of busy Lizzies with garden at Hampton Court Flower Show

B&Q has revealed that its new Imara Bizzie Lizzie varieties have become its fastest-selling plants ever, with over one million sold in the last week. To mark the successful re-introduction of the bedding plant, B&Q will make a return to the ... 
15 May 2018

Retailers are losing online sales due to unhelpful websites 

Almost half of consumers said they would be more inclined to make expensive purchases online if websites were more helpful and contained better in-depth product information, according to new research.The survey of 1,000 shoppers, conducted by full ... 
15 May 2018

Hundreds of organisations getting involved with National Children's Gardening Week

National Children’s Gardening Week 2018 is just around the corner (26 May-3 June) and over 300 garden centres nationwide are joining in with events or the Facebook campaign that’s put fun gardening projects for children in front of nearly half a ... 
15 May 2018

DIY Week Awards 2018 winners announced

The best of the home improvement and garden industry gathered at the Park Plaza Victoria Hotel in London on Friday, May 11 to recognise excellence across the breadth of the market, from forward-thinking companies to innovative products and ... 
14 May 2018

Blue Diamond acquires Orchard Park

Blue Diamond expands its estate to 21, with the addition of independent Dorset garden centre, Orchard Park, which also has planning consent to triple its current size.The garden centre, which is situated just outside Gillingham in Dorset has been ... 
14 May 2018

ERA acquires Zoo Hardware

UK security expert ERA has successfully completed the acquisition of Zoo Hardware, a supplier of architectural hardware including handles, knobs, locks and hinges. Based in Carlisle, Zoo has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2010 and today ... 
14 May 2018

Next plc reports rise in sales due to sunny weather boost

Next plc has reported full price sales for the 14 weeks to Monday 7 May were up by 6% on last year. Sales in its online business were particularly strong and increased by 18.1%, driven by the growth of NEXT branded stock and third party brands on ... 
10 May 2018

Last 50 tickets available for the Global DIY Summit 2018

Today is the last day to register for a place at the Global DIY Summit 2018. May 10 is the last day to place a purchase order when you register for the event. After this day it will not be possible to issue any invoice which could be settled by a ... 
9 May 2018

Garden industry backs national sun protection campaign

Celebrity gardeners are backing a national sun protection campaign, using humour to fight melanoma, with four of the biggest names in gardening agreeing to look ‘ridiculous’ to help punch the message home.David Domoney, Adam Frost, Mark Lane and ... 
9 May 2018

April's fall in prices marks five years of deflation

Shop price deflation held at 1.0% in April. Shop Prices have been deflationary for 60 months now and this is the deepest deflation since February 2017.Deflation in Non-Food prices was deeper in April than in March: prices decreased at a rate of 2.2% ... 
9 May 2018

Wyevale Nurseries provides plants for BALI’s stand at Malvern

One of the UK’s leading nurseries has said it will provide a selection of plants to The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) for its first ever garden trade stand at The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Malvern Spring Flower Show (May,... 
8 May 2018

Cherry Lane acquires David's Nurseries in Worcester

East Anglian value garden centre group, Cherry Lane, has acquired David’s Nurseries in Martin Hussingtree, Worcester.The acquisition of David’s Nurseries on Ash Lane takes place with immediate effect. Cherry Lane is already starting to stock the ... 
4 May 2018

Wilko signs lease for new store in Sheffield

The discount home and garden retailer is set to open a new 10,000sq ft outlet on the St James Retail Park in Sheffield next month.It will be one of the first retailers to open its doors at the new shopping destination when it launches in June, and ... 
3 May 2018

Paper-reliant retailers risk losing staff to tech-savvy competitors

New research reveals that 89% of employees admit they would prefer to work for a retailer that was embracing digital technology over one that was stuck in the analogue past. And, email topped the list as the technology they would most like to see introduced ... 
3 May 2018

Carol Paris to head up new garden centre group

Former Garden & Leisure Group director and HTA CEO, Carol Paris has received backing from Puma Investments to develop a group of garden centres in the south of England.Ms Paris has announced the formation of new company, Somerton Ltd, ... 
2 May 2018

AkzoNobel boosts Dulux Decorator Centre network in the UK to 203 stores

Akzo Nobel has acquired two businesses in the UK to enhance its network of Dulux Decorator Centres and further improve the service and support offered to its trade customers.The deals involve the purchase of Whites Trade Paints, based in South East ... 
2 May 2018

Suppliers could be squeezed by Asda Sainsbury’s merger

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has called on Sainsbury’s to provide assurances to its supply chain, as the supermarket chain announces it has agreed terms with Asda to merge the two companies.The grocer says the deal will “create a dynamic new ... 
30 April 2018

Online construction materials firm reports 50% growth in turnover

Construction Materials Online (CMO), the rapidly-expanding online retailer of building materials, has reported record growth, achieving revenues of £27million in the year to December 31, 2017. The figure is an increase of almost 50% since the ... 
30 April 2018

B&Q launches downy mildew-resistant breed of impatiens

B&Q has teamed up with Syngenta Flowers to bring popular bedding plant, the busy Lizzie back to British gardens. It describes its new ‘Imara Bizzie Lizzie’ as “hugely resistant to downy mildew and really easy for people to grow”.... 
30 April 2018

Martin Breddy lays out growth plans for Squire's

Former Scotts MD, Martin Breddy talks about life as a retailer since taking up the helm at Squire's in 2016. He also highlights plans to grown the business by 20% and increase footfall by 15% in 5 years ... 
30 April 2018
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