9 Weeks Sales Figures - Growth of 6.0%

Kingfisher PLC
11 January 2000

              Trading statement for 9 weeks ended 1 January 2000
                                       
                                       
                         KINGFISHER REPORTS CHRISTMAS
                       LIKE-FOR-LIKE SALES GROWTH OF 6.0%
                                       
Kingfisher  plc, the European retail group, today reports like-for-like  sales
growth  of  6.0% over the nine weeks ended 1 January 2000, with  each  of  its
sectors  experiencing  sales  growth against  the  comparable  period  a  year
earlier.

The  group's  total  sales in the period were £2.59bn (Euro  3.94bn)  a  30.8%
increase  on  the previous year.  This reflected growth from acquisitions  and
new  stores as well as the underlying like-for-like sales increases,  and  was
achieved despite the loss of a key trading Saturday on 1 January 2000.

Commenting  on the figures, Kingfisher's Chief Executive Sir Geoffrey  Mulcahy
said:

' We are pleased with our performance during this important 9 week period.  It
demonstrates  that  our stores are fulfilling the needs of  our  customers  by
offering  better  value,  service  and  choice  and  justifies  the  increased
investment undertaken during the year.

'  We  are  taking  advantage of the opportunities presented  by  the  rapidly
changing  retail  environment with a further acceleration of  our  development
plans.   This  has resulted in additional significant costs being incurred  in
the  last  few months.  We are investing heavily in e-commerce and  other  new
channels  throughout the Group, and expect our revenue costs in this  area  to
exceed £21m in the current year.

'  In addition we have continued to invest in measures that will drive through
operational  efficiencies as well as in new format stores such as Comet,  B&Q,
Big  W  in  the UK and Promarkt in Germany. This investment will  ensure  that
Kingfisher brands can continue to build on their strengths and remain  in  the
vanguard of future retail developments.  Kingfisher's commitment to delivering
real value for our customers has resulted in some margin pressure in parts  of
our  business.  However, we remain confident of achieving the demanding medium
term targets we have set ourselves.'
                                       
                                  
Sector highlights and developments

DIY:  B&Q, the market leader in the UK, increased sales by 30.2%. Key  drivers
to  this  sales  uplift  were the full impact of the eight  Warehouses  opened
earlier  in  the year and strong like-for-like growth of 11.9%.  Like-for-like
sales  growth  was  driven  by  a  combination  of  higher  customer  numbers,
particularly  in  Warehouse, and higher average item values.  Warehouse  sales
grew  by 50%, and accounted for 37% of total sales during the period.  Despite
four  Supercentre closures since last year, Supercentre sales grew by 11% year
on year.

Castorama,  excluding B&Q, saw like-for-like sales growth of 7% on a  proforma
basis, with particularly good performance being achieved by Brico Depot due to
strong sales in all categories.

Electrical: Darty, the market leader in France, increased like-for-like  sales
by  11.1%.   Driving  this growth were strong volume  sales  of  PC's,  mobile
phones,   and  vision,  enhanced  by  a  significant  increase  in  sales   of
accessories.

Comet,  which  introduced its new EDLP pricing policy on 1 October,  increased
sales  by 12.8%, driven by like-for-like sales ahead by 6.2%, growth from  new
stores,  major refits, and call centre sales.  Like-for-like sales growth  was
particularly strong in small appliances, vision, and accessories but with both
multi-media and electronics suffering declines.

General  Merchandise: At Woolworths, sales increased by 7.3%,  of  which  just
over  half  emanated  from new stores opened during the  year.   Like-for-like
sales  growth  was  3.1%,  a creditable achievement  in  a  difficult  trading
environment  and against a strong similar period in the previous year,  driven
by sales gains in mobile phones, music and video, and confectionery. Sales via
complementary  channels, although a small proportion of the total,  were  well
ahead  of  expectation, and the Woolworths internet site  was  launched  on  9
December.

Superdrug,  the  health and beauty specialist, achieved a like-for-like  sales
increase  of  0.6%.   Although the general market remains difficult  with  low
volume  growth  and  price deflation, progress was achieved  as  a  result  of
continued  strong  growth in pharmacy and in key areas such as  ladies  gifts,
skin care, and cosmetics.


                                  
Sir  Geoffrey Mulcahy will be hosting a telephone conference call for analysts
at  07:30  (London  time)  today  to provide  a  further  background  to  this
statement.   Those  wishing to participate should telephone [phone]  and
quote the access code 2627 from 07:20 onwards.


For further information

Kingfisher plc                                    [phone]

Website address                                   www.kingfisher.co.uk

Media Enquiries
Gwen Gober, Director of Corporate Affairs         [phone]

Broker and Institutional Enquiries
Keith Williams, Director of Investor Relations    + 44 (0) 20 7725 5776


                          CHRISTMAS TRADING STATEMENT
               Sales for the 9 week period ended 1 January 2000

                        1999/00             1998/99           %     % Like-
                       (Wk 40-48)         (Wk 40-48)      increase  for-like
                                                                            
                      £m      Euro m     £m      Euro m                     
                                                                            
B&Q ** +              395.8     602.7     304.0     462.9     30.2%    11.9%
                                                                            
Castorama             344.9     525.2       n/a       n/a       n/a      n/a
                                                                            
DIY sector            740.7   1,127.9     304.0     462.9    143.7%    11.9%
                                                                            
                                                                            
Darty *               276.9     421.7     266.6     406.0      3.9%    11.1%
                                                                            
Comet                 265.8     404.8     235.7     358.9     12.8%     6.2%
                                                                            
Other                 
Electricals *** +     310.8     473.3     257.2     391.7     20.8%     5.8%
                                                                            
Electrical sector     853.5   1,299.8     759.5   1,156.6     12.4%     8.0%
                                                                            
                                                                            
Woolworths            666.8   1,015.4     621.2     946.0      7.3%     3.1%
                                                                            
Superdrug             189.6     288.7     184.4     280.8      2.8%     0.6%
                                                                            
Other **** +          137.6     209.5     110.4     168.1     24.6%     0.6%
                                                                            
General                                                                     
Merchandise           994.0   1,513.6     916.0   1,394.9      8.5%     2.5%
sector
                                                                            
                                                                            
Total Group         2,588.2   3,941.3   1,979.5   3,014.4     30.8%     6.0%
                                                                            
Local Currency                                                              
Darty (FFRm)            2,843.7             2,494.7           14.0%    11.1%

       The like-for-like increases are shown at constant exchange rates
       Euro comparisons are at a constant exchange rate (1.5228)

*      All store sales were lower by £(41.0)m as a result of translation  
       into sterling of which £(23.7)m related to Darty.
**     Includes NOMI, Screwfix and B&Q Shanghai.
***    Comprises Wegert, BUT, BCC, New Vanden Borre and Electric City
****   Comprises Entertainment UK, MVC and VCI (Entertainment UK and VCI
       not included in LFL increase)
+      Sales from Wegert, BUT, NOMI, VCI and B&Q Shanghai are for the quarter
       ended 31 December 1999

                          CHRISTMAS TRADING STATEMENT
               Sales for the 48 week period ended 1 January 2000

                        1999/00             1998/99           %     % Like-
                       (Wk 1-48)           (Wk 1-48)      increase  for-like
                                                                            
                      £m      Euro m     £m      Euro m                     
                                                                            
B&Q ** +            2,174.5   3,311.3   1,770.2   2,695.7     22.8%     8.4%
                                                                            
Castorama           2,034.0   3,097.4       n/a       n/a       n/a      n/a
                                                                            
DIY sector          4,208.5   6,408.7   1,770.2   2,695.7    137.7%     8.4%
                                                                            
                                                                            
Darty *             1,062.4   1,617.8   1,020.3   1,553.7      4.1%     4.7%
                                                                            
Comet                 886.0   1,349.2     785.3   1,195.9     12.8%     5.8%
                                                                            
Other                 
Electricals *** +     983.2   1,497.2     449.3     684.2    118.8%     5.7%  
    
                                                                            
Electrical sector   2,931.6   4,464.2   2,254.9   3,433.8     30.0%     5.3%
                                                                            
                                                                            
Woolworths          1,752.8   2,669.2   1,667.4   2,539.1      5.1%     2.5%
                                                                            
Superdrug             784.9   1,195.2     743.3   1,131.9      5.6%     3.4%
                                                                            
Other **** +          346.4     527.5     269.3     410.1     28.6%     2.0%
                                                                            
General                                                                     
Merchandise         2,884.1   4,391.9   2,680.0   4,081.1      7.6%     2.8%
sector
                                                                            
                                                                            
Total Group        10,024.2  15,264.8   6,705.1  10,210.6     49.5%     5.2%
                                                                            
Local Currency                                                              
Darty (FFRm)            10,656.9            9,890.3            7.8%     4.7%

       The like-for-like increases are shown at constant exchange rates
       Euro comparisons are at a constant exchange rate (1.5228)

*      All store sales were lower by £(50.4)m as a result of translation into
       sterling of which £(34.3)m related to Darty.
**     Includes NOMI, Screwfix and B&Q Shanghai.
***    Comprises Wegert, BUT, BCC, New Vanden Borre and Electric City
****   Comprises Entertainment UK, MVC and VCI (Entertainment UK and VCI not
       included in LFL increase)
+      Sales from Wegert, BUT, NOMI, VCI and B&Q Shanghai are for the period  
       ended 31 December 1999


                          CHRISTMAS TRADING STATEMENT
                  Pro-Forma - at constant exchange rates and
       assuming all businesses owned by Kingfisher throughout both years
               Sales for the 9 week period ended 1 January 2000

                       1999/00            1998/99           %      % Like-
                      (Wk 40-48)         (Wk 40-48)      increase for-like
                                                                           
                     £m     Euro m      £m      Euro m                     
                                                                           
B&Q ** +             395.8    602.7     311.4     474.2     27.1%     12.4%
                                                                           
Castorama            344.9    525.2     306.1     466.1     12.7%      7.0%
                                                                           
DIY sector           740.7  1,127.9     617.5     940.3     20.0%      9.7%
                                                                           
                                                                           
Darty                276.9    421.7     242.9     369.9     14.0%     11.1%
                                                                           
Comet                265.8    404.8     235.7     358.9     12.8%      6.2%
                                                                           
Other                
Electricals *** +    310.8    473.3     239.2     364.3     29.9%      7.6%
                                                                           
Electrical sector    853.5  1,299.8     717.8   1,093.1     18.9%      8.4%
                                                                           
                                                                           
Woolworths           666.8  1,015.4     621.2     946.0      7.3%      3.1%
                                                                           
Superdrug            189.6    288.7     184.4     280.8      2.8%      0.6%
                                                                           
Other **** +         137.6    209.5     123.3     187.8     11.6%      0.6%
                                                                           
General                                                                    
Merchandise          994.0  1,513.6     928.9   1,414.6      7.0%      2.5%
sector
                                                                           
                                                                           
Total Group        2,588.2  3,941.3   2,264.2   3,448.0     14.3%      6.4%

       Euro comparisons are at a constant exchange rate (1.5228)

**     Includes NOMI, Screwfix and B&Q Shanghai.
***    Comprises Wegert, BUT, BCC, New Vanden Borre and Electric City
****   Comprises Entertainment UK, MVC and VCI (Entertainment UK and VCI not
       included in LFL increase)
+      Sales from Wegert, BUT, NOMI, VCI and B&Q Shanghai are for the quarter 
       ended 31 December 1999

                                       
                                       
                          CHRISTMAS TRADING STATEMENT
                  Pro-Forma - at constant exchange rates and
       assuming all businesses owned by Kingfisher throughout both years
               Sales for the 48 week period ended 1 January 2000

                         1999/00             1998/99           %      % Like-
                        (Wk 1-48)           (Wk 1-48)       increase  for-like
                                                                              
                       £m      Euro m      £m      Euro m                     
                                                                              
B&Q ** +              2,174.5  3,311.3   1,826.8   2,781.9     19.0%      8.5%
                                                                              
Castorama             2,034.0  3,097.4   1,847.0   2,812.6     10.1%      4.9%
                                                                              
DIY sector            4,208.5  6,408.7   3,673.8   5,594.5     14.6%      6.7%
                                                                              
                                                                              
Darty                 1,062.4  1,617.8     985.9   1,501.3      7.8%      4.7%
                                                                              
Comet                   886.0  1,349.2     785.3   1,195.9     12.8%      5.8%
                                                                              
Other                   
Electricals *** +       983.2  1,497.2     832.8   1,268.2     18.1%      1.7%
                                                                              
Electrical sector     2,931.6  4,464.2   2,604.0   3,965.4     12.6%      4.0%
                                                                              
                                                                              
Woolworths            1,752.8  2,669.2   1,667.4   2,539.1      5.1%      2.5%
                                                                              
Superdrug               784.9  1,195.2     743.3   1,131.9      5.6%      3.4%
                                                                              
Other **** +            346.4    527.5     312.0     475.1     11.0%      2.0%
                                                                              
General                                                                       
Merchandise sector    2,884.1  4,391.9   2,722.7   4,146.1      5.9%      2.8%
                                                                              
                                                                              
Total Group          10,024.2 15,264.8   9,000.5  13,706.0     11.4%      4.8%

       Euro comparisons are at a constant exchange rate (1.5228)

**     Includes NOMI, Screwfix and B&Q Shanghai.
***    Comprises Wegert, BUT, BCC, New Vanden Borre and Electric City
****   Comprises Entertainment UK, MVC and VCI (Entertainment UK and VCI not
       included in LFL increase)
+      Sales from Wegert, BUT, NOMI, VCI and B&Q Shanghai are for the period  
       ended 31 December 1999