BHB - Handelsverband Heimwerken, Bauen und Garten e.V.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 2, 2026 -- The BHB-GardenSummit, now in its eleventh edition, returns on June 23 with a revised format that reflects feedback from long-standing attendees. Germany's trade association for the home improvement and garden retail sector has shifted the event from the closing day of the spoga + gafa fair in Cologne to the fair's second day, a change developed in coordination with KoelnMesse. The summit closes with a joint garden party co-hosted by BHB and partner association IVG in Hall 6, positioning the networking finale as a centerpiece of the event.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - June 2, 2026 -- Germany's home improvement and garden retail sector reported a gross revenue decline of 0.9 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, with the like-for-like figure narrowing further to minus 0.5 percent, according to data published by BHB - Handelsverband Heimwerken, Bauen und Garten e.V., the German-speaking region's leading DIY trade association. Austria recorded a modest increase of 0.5 percent over the same period. Switzerland posted an overall decline of 3.2 percent, though adjusted for floor space the market turned positive at plus 1.0 percent, a pattern the association attributed to national one-off factors rather than structural weakness.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - November 27, 2025 - The 26th BHB-Baumarktkongress in Bonn has brought together a record number of DIY retail leaders this week, as 509 executives from trade, industry and service providers gather under the former Bundestag's Federal Eagle to discuss how the home improvement sector can navigate prolonged consumer caution and reshape its future.

Full House in Bonn as the "Branchenfamilie" Regroups

The World Conference Center Bonn, long the favorite venue of the "Branchenfamilie", is more than full this year-an indicator of how urgent the need for strategic exchange has become. For the third year in a row, the long-awaited turnaround for the DIY and garden trade has not yet materialized, and the sector is collectively searching for new synergies and concepts to counter hesitant consumer spending.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - November 27, 2025 - The home improvement and garden retail sector in Germany and the wider European market is still searching for a sustained upswing, as new figures from the Handelsverband Heimwerken, Bauen und Garten e.V. (BHB) reveal a modest decline in sales after the third quarter of 2025 despite a strong second quarter and pockets of category growth.

Cautious Consumers Slow DIY and Garden Spending

Across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, macroeconomic uncertainty and consumer caution continue to weigh on DIY spending. After nine months of 2025, German DIY and home improvement stores generated €16.08 billion in gross sales, down 1.4% year-on-year, or 1.2% on a like-for-like basis. Switzerland also reported a decline, while only Austria managed to end the period with a positive overall result.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - November 1, 2025 - The 26th International BHB Congress will convene Germany's DIY and home improvement leaders at the World Conference Center Bonn on November 26-27, 2025, pairing board-level strategy sessions with hands-on masterclasses spanning AI, logistics, retail media, and circular economy. A gala aboard the MS RheinMagie on November 26 includes the presentation of the DIY-Lifetime Award, underscoring the event's status as the sector's flagship gathering.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - July 1, 2025 - The 10th BHB-GardenSummit in Cologne once again demonstrated its commitment to sharing strategies and trends that can strengthen the garden retail sector, bringing together over 110 industry leaders despite notable absences among exhibitors and experts.

Keynote Emphasizes Importance of Green Assortments