Kingfisher is drawing up plans for a chain of smaller B&Q Metro stores to combat high property costs and a lack of large development sites in some Asian markets. Sunday Telegraph


The retailer believes the mini-B&Q format, which would involve shops as small as 12,000 sq ft, would act as useful satellites for large flagship stores.

On Friday, Kingfisher unveiled its first B&Q outlet in Hong Kong, a 120,000 sq ft warehouse targeted at the city’s large expat community as well as local Chinese consumers.

Hong Kong would be the first location for the small-store format, which could then be rolled out to markets such as mainland China, Taiwan and, in the long-term, the Indian subcontinent, where Kingfisher has yet to establish a presence.