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Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Maximilian Weikert Maximilian Weikert Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: May 2025 WZ G47.52DE

Revenue

€31.6bn

2025

€31.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

155k

Businesses

13,284

Wages

€X.Xbn

Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany industry analysis

Over the past five years, the DIY and home improvement sector has recorded an average annual decline in turnover of 2.4 %. This is due to the fact that the coronavirus pandemic initially led to a temporary increase in sales in the reference year 2020, as consumers invested more in home improvement projects during the lockdowns. However, a clear downward trend has been observed since 2020, which has been exacerbated by increased staff costs and high investments in digitalisation and cross-channel strategies. The major DIY chains are increasingly relying on apps and online platforms to meet the growing competitive challenges and also attract price-sensitive customers to DIY stores.Slight sales growth of 0.1% to €31.6 billion is expected for the current year, which could be interpreted as a potential trend reversal if important external factors signal stability. The large DIY chains continue to dominate the sector, particularly due to their price leadership. Nevertheless, small and regional chains score highly in customer satisfaction surveys thanks to their excellent customer service. One notable event is the switch of four entrepreneurs from Hagebaumarkt to OBI, which can be attributed to OBI's better digital infrastructure and stronger DIY focus. This could have a signalling effect for future developments in the sector.In the next five years, annual sales growth of 3.4% is expected, which could increase the industry's turnover to 37.4 billion euros in 2030. This growth is heavily dependent on developments in residential construction, net incomes and the consumer climate. DIY stores have the opportunity to establish themselves as holistic providers of smart home solutions, potentially creating new revenue streams. Investments in cross-channel strategies will increase and lead to new shop concepts by linking apps, online stores and bricks-and-mortar retail. The Austrian provider Let's Do it shows an example of how this can be achieved with its shop concept, which has been rolled out and further developed since 2019. Such developments could be crucial in order to meet changing customer needs and competitive pressure in the digital age. IBISWorld expects the profit margins of German DIY stores to be slightly below the level of previous years in the coming years due to the necessary investments in modern shop concepts and cross-channel solutions.

Trends and Insights

  • The coronavirus pandemic temporarily boosted business. Many consumers focussed on home improvement and renovation projects during the lockdowns and brought forward their demand. As a result, there was a sharp drop in demand in some cases, which is now gradually being offset.
  • The largest product category in the industry is the construction segment. Not least due to the significant price increases in the area of building materials from 2021, the share of sales in this segment has risen in recent years.
  • Most of the companies and branches are located in the Central region, with the geographical distribution strongly orientated towards the distribution of the population, which is why North Rhine-Westphalia has the largest share of the total number of companies within this region.
  • The industry is dominated by large DIY and home improvement stores, which generate a large proportion of industry sales. In addition, there are also regional DIY and home improvement chains and smaller specialist retailers which, unlike the large DIY stores, often specialise in a wide range of products in certain product groups.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €31.6bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Obi impresses customers with its heyOBI app and puts pressure on the competition

  • OBI is successfully pursuing a cross-channel strategy in which customers are addressed both digitally and in-store. The heyOBI app plays a central role in this and has become the most popular DIY store app with over seven million active users, as the Simon-Kucher retailer app study from May 2024 shows. Customers can use the app to access useful information before they visit the store, while a store navigator helps them find products on site.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The shortage of skilled labour will be a key issue for the industry in the coming years

  • The DIY sector is facing a considerable challenge due to the increasing shortage of skilled labour in Germany. By 2035, up to a third of jobs in the German retail sector could remain unfilled, according to an analysis by Pwc Germany from 2024. Customers are already feeling the effects in the form of long queues and a lack of specialist staff for consultations.

Biggest companies in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (€m)
2025
Bauhaus AG
3,795.0
Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA
2,850.0
Hornbach Holding AG & Co. KGaA
2,400.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 6 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Products from the construction segment, Products from the garden segment and DIY supplies. Products from the construction segment is the largest segment of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Products from the construction segment form the most important product group in the industry

  • The largest product category in the sector is the construction segment. It includes construction chemicals, building materials such as insulation materials, wood, tiles and painting supplies.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The companies in this sector, typically DIY stores or smaller specialist retailers, sell metal goods, paints and other building and DIY supplies to end consumers and, in some cases, to professional customers. The goods sold are purchased from wholesalers or directly from producers.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany include Products from the construction segment, DIY supplies, Products from the garden segment and Products from the residential segment.

Companies

Companies covered in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany include Bauhaus AG, Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA and Hornbach Holding AG & Co. KGaA.

Purchase this report to view all 6 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany include do-it-yourself market, do-it-for-me customers and cost leadership.

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 47.52 - Hardware & Home Improvement Stores in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The coronavirus pandemic temporarily boosted business. Many consumers focussed on home improvement and renovation projects during the lockdowns and brought forward their dema...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The largest product category in the industry is the construction segment. Not least due to the significant price increases in the area of building materials from 2021, the sh...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Most of the companies and branches are located in the Central region, with the geographical distribution strongly orientated towards the distribution of the population, which ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The industry is dominated by large DIY and home improvement stores, which generate a large proportion of industry sales. In addition, there are also regional DIY and home imp...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Obi has expanded its cross-channel business. The improved online presence, which has included its own app since 2020, is intended not only to increase sales through purchases...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Bauhaus AG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Hornbach Holding AG & Co. KGaA's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 3 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Bauhaus AG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Hornbach Holding AG & Co. KGaA, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 3 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The DIY sector is affected by temporary employment regulations, among other things. Since 2017, temporary workers have had to receive the same pay as permanent staff after ni...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The industry's profit margin is relatively low. The reason for this is the strong competition among the large DIY chains, which usually pursue the strategy of generating prof...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany in 2025?

The market size of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany is €31.6bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany in 2025?

There are 13,284 businesses in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany?

The Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany?

The Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany are Bauhaus AG, Obi Group Holding SE & Co. KGaA and Hornbach Holding AG & Co. KGaA

What does the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany include?

Products from the construction segment and DIY supplies are part of the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany is Bauhaus AG.

How competitive is the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Hardware & Home Improvement Stores industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Germany

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

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