Our markets
Kingfisher has exposure to fast-growing, developing economies in Europe and Asia, including Poland, Russia and China, as well as having well-established businesses in developed markets like the UK and France. In total, the home improvement markets in which Kingfisher operates are worth over £100 billion.
Further information
UK & France
We are the market leader in the UK and France, two of the largest retail markets in Europe. Each has large, relatively wealthy populations and levels of home ownership are high. Compared with the whole European Union (EU), a relatively higher proportion of consumer retail expenditure is on home improvement products and services. The home improvement markets in these countries are well-developed, large and have benefited from increasing consumer wealth and growth in the number of homes. Consumers are served by large, well-established national retailers and small local specialists.
One major difference between the UK and France is the level of consumer debt, which is significantly higher in the UK.
UK & Ireland
| Country | Households million |
Market size (£bn) |
Market position | % Market share | GDP growth 2012 (%) estimated1 | Market brands | Store numbers2 | Selling space (000s sq m) |
Employees fulltime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 26 | 30 | 1 | 15 | +0.7 |  |
3583 | 2,5613 | 21,4733 |
 |
275 | 20 | 3,804 | ||||||
| Ireland | 1.5 | 2 | – | 5 | +0.3 | |
Contribution to Group sales
41%
£4.3bn
Retail profit
30%
£234m
See our brands
France
| Country | Households million |
Market size (£bn) |
Market position | % Market share | GDP growth 2012 (%) estimated1 | Market brands | Store numbers2 | Selling space (000s sq m) |
Employees fulltime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 27 | 18 | 1 | 25 | +0.5 |  |
103 | 1,085 | 11,139 |
 |
104 | 576 | 6,819 |
Contribution to Group sales
39%
£4.2bn
Retail profit
51%
£397m
See our brands
Information correct as at 2 February 2013
Where we operate
Our Markets
- UK & Ireland
- France
- Other international
- Hornbach*
* Strategic alliance. Kingfisher has a 21% interest in Hornbach, Germany's leading large format DIY retailer, with over 120 stores in nine European countries
