Kingfisher takes Screwfix to France

DIY giant Kingfisher has opened its first Screwfix store in France as part of chief executive Thierry Garnier’s ‘more confident’ strategy.

The outlet is located in Wattrelos, Lille. Kingfisher plans to open as many as five branches in France under the Screwfix banner by the end of January.

The expansion of Screwfix in France is one of the key strands of Garnier’s plan to drive growth in the region.

He said: ‘Screwfix’s growth in the UK and Ireland has been one of retail’s success stories in recent years, with an average of over a store opening per week for the past decade.’

Existing relationships with French suppliers to its Castorama and Brico Dépôt chains ‘mean we are perfectly placed to bring the proven Screwfix model to France’, he said.

Screwfix is aimed at tradesmen, but is also open to the public. It launched online in France last year. Each store offers about 10,000 products with another 5,000 available online.