Kingfisher, the owner of home improvement store B&Q and Screwfix, has attributed lower sales on barbecues and gardening equipment to poor weather across the UK and France.

In the three months to the end of April, Kingfisher recorded a drop of more than three per cent in revenues to £3.3 billion.

Seasonal categories, items which may have seen less spend due to poor weather, fell by 11 per cent during the period.

“The unusually poor spring weather in the UK and France affected our seasonal sales in the quarter, impacting demand for items such as garden and outdoor products,” said Kingfisher chief executive Thierry Garnier. “We have however seen an improvement in trading since early April and anticipate a release of some pent-up demand as the weather continues to improve.”

Kingfisher’s trading update also revealed its intentions to announce a new share buyback programme following completion of the existing programme this year.

As of 22 May 2023, £205 million of the current £300 million share buyback programme had been completed, it said.

The news follows Kingfisher’s profits dropping by a fifth during its financial year ended 31 January.

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