British omnichannel retailer Screwfix has opened its first store in France. The store openings follow the successful launch of its strong online business Screwfix.fr. Since April 2021, Screwfix has seen a positive response from its customers, with strong traffic and conversion rates and growing brand awareness across the country.
The first Screwfix France store opened in Wattrelos near Lille last year, with eight more stores opened to date, all in the Hauts-de-France region. A meaningful step up in store openings will follow next year. The store openings will create employment opportunities for local communities in the region. The vacancies will be available in a variety of areas such as retail management, service assistants and supervisor roles.
To provide its customers with the ultimate convenience and to support its network of stores, Screwfix opened its distribution centre located in Nanteuil-le-Haudouin (Oise), in May 2022.
Each Screwfix France store will offer around 10,000 products aimed at trade professionals with an additional 5,000 products available online – ranging from plumbing and electrical products to power tools and workwear. Customers will be able to click & collect from store in as little as 10 minutes. The store model will be based on the proven success in the UK and Ireland, with product ranges adapted to the French market.
John Mewett, Screwfix CEO, commented: “the creation of bricks and mortar stores in France is a major milestone for us and a direct result of the increasing demand from our customers for our extensive product range and the convenience of a store nearby – allowing busy tradespeople to get what they want when they need it. We’re delighted to have successfully opened our first stores in France. We look forward to welcoming customers to our new stores and providing employment opportunities for local communities across the region.”
Screwfix has seen rapid expansion in the UK and Ireland over the past decade, growing from 215 stores and €597m in sales in 2011/12 to 842 stores today, with €2.7bn in sales in 2021/22. It is the UK’s largest omnichannel retailer of trade tools, plumbing, electricals, bathrooms and kitchens, with a heritage of over 40 years in the trade and DIY industry.