2026
9
UK DIY Retailing Market Report 2026
2026-05-26T08:01:26+00:00
REP4E7C63CF_0D7E_429B_BC63_CF0D7EF29B8C
2195
193616
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Report
en_GB
DIY retailing enters 2026 in a period of relative stability. Market growth has normalised following the post‑pandemic surge, with value holding steady as consumers continue to invest in home improvement,…
UK
DIY and Garden Retail
simple

UK DIY Retailing Market Report 2026

"As growth remains constrained, competitive advantage in DIY will increasingly be defined by access, speed and support, not range alone."

Steven Mayles, Retail Analyst

Steven Mayles, Retail Analyst

UK DIY Retailing Market – Trends and Insights

  • DIY retailing enters 2026 in a period of relative stability. Market growth has normalised following the post‑pandemic surge, with value holding steady as consumers continue to invest in home improvement, albeit more selectively. Activity remains strongest among younger adults, mortgaged homeowners and higher‑income households, underpinning a resilient but increasingly competitive retail environment.
  • At the same time, cost pressures are reshaping how consumers approach home improvement. A growing share are choosing to take on projects themselves rather than pay for professional labour, increasing the importance of access, speed and support in the purchase decision. 49% say a nearby store or collection point is decisive when choosing a DIY retailer, highlighting the growing role of convenience in how and where DIY spend is captured.
  • This creates both opportunity and risk for DIY specialists. Retailers able to combine local availability with practical guidance and efficient fulfilment are better positioned to retain spend as consumers move from inspiration to execution. This is placing greater emphasis on local, highly responsive store networks that prioritise availability and speed. Those that fail to adapt face rising pressure from non‑specialists and marketplaces that increasingly win on proximity and speed.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • The size of the UK DIY market, specialist retail sales trends, and how spend is distributed across leading retailers
  • Planned home improvement projects and which products and services matter most for future DIY
  • What drives retailer choice and why proximity, reviews and expert advice matter
  • How consumer attitudes highlight social commerce and sustainability as near‑term growth levers in DIY
  • How innovation around AI is reducing friction in planning, executing and completing DIY projects
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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for DIY retail market
    • Opportunities
    • How DIY specialists can capture time‑critical, mid‑project spend through local fulfilment
    • Turn project‑led guidance into repeatable revenue
    • Winning younger DIYers on‑ and offline
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Rising economic concerns keep discretionary spending cautious
    • Graph 1: consumer concerns, 2026
    • Cost‑of‑living pressures keep DIY demand focused on smaller projects
    • Graph 2: consumer financial confidence over the coming year, 2026
    • Housing stagnation keeps homeowners improving rather than moving, sustaining DIY engagement
    • Graph 3: residential property transactions (non-seasonally adjusted), financial year‑to‑date (April–February), 2016 to 2017 and 2025 to 2026
    • DIY is not just about saving money — it’s a source of pride
    • The projected trend for DIY specialist retail sales is broadly positive but relatively subdued
    • Graph 4: [no title]
    • Stabilised market with modest long‑term growth
    • Consumer spending on DIY products
    • DIY spending normalises after pandemic highs
    • Graph 5: consumer spending on DIY-related products, 2021-25
    • Garden spend takes a bigger slice of DIY budgets
    • Graph 6: category breakdown of consumer spending on DIY-related products, as a percentage of all DIY spending, 2021-25
    • DIY spend is consolidating as competition intensifies
    • Graph 7: estimated market share of consumer DIY spend by retailer, 2025–26
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Home improvement plans
    • 77% plan home improvements in the next 12 months – a major opportunity to boost DIY sales
    • Graph 8: number of home improvement projects planned in the next 12 months, by age group, housing situation and household income, 2026
    • Consumers aren’t looking to outsource DIY — they’re looking to do it themselves
    • Graph 9: planned home improvement projects in the next 12 months, by age group, housing situation and household income, 2026
    • Home improvers value quick access to supplies, smart tools and easier purchasing
    • On‑demand product access reshapes expectations for DIY fulfilment
    • Smart tools help DIYers get it right first time as projects become more self‑led
    • DIY shoppers expect purchasing to happen at pace
    • Transform the way customers shop for DIY with Task Tracker Express
    • DIY shopper participation
    • DIY purchasing is near‑universal
    • The most active DIY shopper groups
    • Graph 10: consumers who have bought DIY/home improvement products in the last 12 months, by age group, 2026
    • Graph 11: consumers who have bought DIY/home improvement products in the last 12 months, by household income, 2026
    • How DIY shoppers buy
    • DIY shoppers mix in‑store and online purchasing, with specialists the dominant channel
    • Graph 12: channels used for purchasing DIY/home improvement products, 2025-26
    • Graph 13: types of retailers used to buy DIY/home improvement products, 2025-26
    • Shoppers associate online channels with breadth of choice
    • DIY SmartMatch Hub delivers personalised project solutions
    • Physical displays drive inspiration‑led DIY purchases
    • The Calming Home Retreat turns DIY stores into wellbeing destinations
    • DIY retailers shopped with
    • B&Q continue to dominate even though share has dipped slightly
    • Graph 14: retailers used to buy DIY/home improvement products, 2025-26
    • Local, convenient access to materials and tools is essential
    • Winning on convenience means pairing physical proximity with flexible fulfilment
    • Customer reviews act as proof of value in DIY retailer choice
    • DIY shoppers don’t just want “assistance” — they want advice tailored to their task
    • Get instant, project-specific advice from DIY experts with Live DIY Advisor Chat
    • How changing attitudes are reshaping DIY shopping and purchasing
    • Commercial potential is strongest around social inspiration and sustainability
    • Graph 15: attitudes shaping DIY shopping and purchasing, 2026
    • Turning social inspiration into direct DIY purchases
    • Sustainability credentials help DIY retailers stand out
  4. RETAILER ACTIVITY

    • Growth is being driven by higher spend per shopper
    • Graph 16: leading home improvement retailers growth in spend and customer numbers, 2025-26
    • B&Q positions itself as the enabler that gets people doing DIY
    • On‑demand convenience can be Amazon’s next growth lever in DIY
    • Hybrid value‑led generalist The Range makes DIY more affordable and accessible
  5. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • From AI advice to AI‑led home improvement project execution
    • The Home Depot influencer marketplace
    • B&Q turns recycling into a service‑led DIY opportunity
    • Visual tech that takes the guesswork out of DIY’s biggest project
  6. APPENDIX

    • DIY consumer spending market size methodology
    • Methodology: Consumer Spending on DIY
    • Supplementary data
    • Report scope and market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market size and forecast: underlying data
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • TURF methodology
    • TURF analysis of the attributes which are important when deciding which retailer to shop with for DIY/home improvement products
    • UK generation groups
    • Supplementary data – leading retailers
    • Kingfisher is the UK’s leading DIY specialist by revenue
    • Screwfix is the UK’s largest DIY specialist by stores
    • Amazon leads non‑specialist DIY sales with an estimated £1.7 billion
    • Kingfisher captures 27% of consumer DIY spending
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Mintel Spark
    • Snoop SpendMapper methodology
    • Abbreviations

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