Kingfisher Trading Statement

Kingfisher PLC
11 May 2000



           Trading statement for 13 week period ending 29 April 2000
                                       
            KINGFISHER REPORTS SALES GROWTH OF 12% TO £ 2.6 BILLION


Kingfisher   plc,  the  European  DIY,  electricals  and  general  merchandise
retailer,  today reports total sales growth during the first quarter  of  this
year  compared  to  the  same period a year ago of 12.1%  to  a  record  £2.63
billion.  Like for like sales increased by 7.1% for the quarter.

All  of the group's main businesses showed increased sales with a particularly
strong performance in electricals.  Electrical sales were boosted by increased
demand for mobile phones and multi media products.

Commenting on the sales figures, Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy, Chief Executive,  said:
'This  is  an  encouraging start for the year, given the extremely competitive
retail  environment  we  are facing across all of our markets.   Although,  as
always,  it  is  still too early to draw conclusions from these figures  about
what  the  full  year  will bring, it is good to see that our  businesses  are
continuing to sustain the strong levels of organic sales growth they  achieved
last year.'



                                       
                                       
                         QUARTER ONE TRADING STATEMENT
                             First quarter 2000/01
               Sales for the 13 week period ended 29 April 2000

                        2000 / 01          1999 / 00              %
                                                          increase/(decrease)
                                                            All    Like-for-
                                                           stores    like
                     £m      Euro m     £ m     Euro m      %         %
                                                                            
B&Q (2)(6)           690.2  1,136.6    580.4    955.7     18.9      5.0
Castorama (5)        502.6    827.6    491.7    809.7      2.2      6.0
                  --------  -------  -------  -------     ----     ----
DIY sector         1,192.8  1,964.2  1,072.1  1,765.4     11.3      5.5
                  --------  -------  -------  -------     ----     ----
                     
Darty (5)            266.2    438.4    244.5    402.6      8.9     18.1
Comet                235.8    388.3    188.7    310.7     25.0     17.7
ProMarkt (5)(6)      139.4    229.5    112.5    185.3     23.9      6.4
BUT (5)               75.5    124.3     70.6    116.3      6.9      3.7
Other (3)             46.3     76.2     37.7     62.1     22.8      7.4
                    ------  -------    -----  -------     ----     ----
Electrical sector    763.2  1,256.7    654.0  1,077.0     16.7     14.1
                    ------  -------    -----  -------     ----     ----
Woolworths           397.7    654.9    365.1    601.2      8.9      3.6
Superdrug            192.8    317.5    187.8    309.3      2.7      0.9
Other (4)(6)          84.7    139.5     67.6    111.3     25.3      8.8
                     ------  -------    -----  -------     ----     ----
General Merchandise  675.2  1,111.9    620.5  1,021.8      8.8      2.9
sector                                                             
                     ------  -------    -----  -------     ----     ----
                                                                   
Total Group        2,631.2  4,332.8  2,346.6  3,864.2     12.1      7.1
                   -------  -------    -----  -------     ----     ----
                     
Local Currency                                                              
Castorama (FFRm)   5,428.8           4,785.2              13.4              
                     
Darty (FFRm)       2,875.9           2,379.5              20.9              
                     

The like-for-like increases are shown at constant exchange rates
Euro comparisons are at a constant exchange rate (1.6467)

(1)All store sales were lower by £(96.3)m as a result of translation into
   sterling of which £(48.7)m related to  Castorama and £(24.2)m related to
   Darty.
(2)Includes NOMI, Screwfix and B&Q Shanghai (Screwfix is not included
   in LFL).
(3)Other Electricals comprises BCC, New Vanden Borre and Electric City.
(4)Other General Merchandise comprises Entertainment UK, MVC and VCI
  (Entertainment UK and VCI not included in LFL).
(5)Castorama, Darty, ProMarkt and BUT sales are reported on a calendar month
   basis.
(6)Sales from ProMarkt, VCI and B&Q Shanghai are for the quarter ended 31
   March.

Note: £1: Euro 1.6467
For further information


Media Enquiries
Gwen Gober, Director of Corporate Affairs              + 44 (0) 20 7725 5714
Gail Lavielle, Director of Corporate Communications    + 33 (1) 43 18 52 68

Broker and Institutional Enquiries
Keith Williams, Director of Investor Relations         + 44 (0) 20 7725 5776
Graham Fairbank, Head of Corporate Communications      + 33 (1) 43 18 52 26

Kingfisher plc                                         + 44 (0) 20 7724 7749

Kingfisher Website                                     www.kingfisher.co.uk