Like the UK, the French DIY retailers have undergone a harsh concentration. The market is now dominated by two international groups, Castorama, controlled by Kingfisher, and Leroy Merlin, a private French group.
French DIY retail market share
The chart opposite, gives a breakdown of the retailers’ market share in France while the chart on the right gives a product breakdown. This concentration has inevitably led to pressure on pricing for the suppliers but it has also helped foster the DIY market throughout France. The first visible change for the consumer was the presence of more technical advisors in the stores.
Almost all the stores now boast trained staff who can advise clients about technique and products. More recently, the bigger stores are catering specifically to female clients, with more emphasis on decoration, particularly in paints and wallpapers, in-store training sessions and even DIY-cafes. All this helps to make DIY an integral part of the French way of life.
