The French DIY market is experiencing a third consecutive year of decline. Tool sales have dropped by more than ten percent over the past year, and large DIY stores are seeing their foot traffic erode.
In this context, the habits of DIY enthusiasts are reshaping around new logics: renting rather than buying, environmental requirements reinforced by regulations, and the rise of online content that documents practical applications. Understanding these movements requires looking beyond mere sales figures.
Digital product passport: the regulatory constraint that DIY is not anticipating
Articles on the market decline mention consumer frugality and the decrease in purchasing power. A structural factor largely goes unnoticed: the digital product passport, driven by European regulations, with a gradual rollout expected between 2027 and 2030.
This system will impose complete traceability on manufacturers and distributors across many categories: furniture, construction materials, power tool batteries. Each product will need to carry verifiable information about its composition, origin, and environmental impact. For DIY brands, this represents a considerable logistical and IT challenge, far beyond simple labeling.
The regulatory pressure does not stop there. Since 2025, the full application of the Climate and Resilience law has made environmental criteria mandatory in public procurement. Brands supplying equipment or furniture for communities must now prove the durability of their products. To keep up with the latest news from Ben Le Bricoleur on these developments, the intersection of regulation and daily practice becomes a useful perspective.
Field feedback varies on this point: some brands have already begun their compliance efforts, while others still view these deadlines as distant. The gap between the regulatory agenda and the actual preparation of the sector could create supply tensions on certain ranges in a few years.
In-store tool rental: a shift redefining the DIY aisle
Several brands are now dedicating entire aisles to rentals. Customers’ reasoning is straightforward: a tool used for two or three days does not justify a purchase, let alone storage. This shift is not just about purchasing power. It reflects a change in the relationship to ownership, documented by the sustained decline in tool sales.
In-store rental is replacing purchase for occasional-use tools. Brands find a double benefit: retaining customers who would otherwise abandon the project, and making profitable references with low turnover. The model is still recent, and available data does not yet allow for measuring its impact on the overall revenue of the sector.
What is observable, however, is the diversification of ranges offered for rent. We are no longer just talking about large construction equipment. Drills, sanders, and circular saws are now part of the offering, directly targeting the occasional DIYer.
Limits of the rental model
Rental requires a logistics of control and maintenance that not all brands have mastered yet. A poorly maintained tool between rentals poses a safety and customer satisfaction issue. Product recalls, such as that of a Parkside tool sold by Lidl withdrawn for safety concerns, remind us that the reliability of tools remains a point of vigilance, whether purchased or rented.
Counter-current growth: the case of Leborgne and consumer DIY
In a declining market, some players are making progress. The tool brand Leborgne announces a four percent growth in 2025, contrary to the sector trend. Its explanation: a strategic shift towards consumer DIY, where the brand was historically positioned on the professional side.
This repositioning illustrates a broader movement. Amateur DIYers are seeking durable tools designed to last beyond a few uses. The marketing discourse on durability is no longer sufficient: buyers compare materials, read reviews, and watch tutorials before heading to the checkout.
It is precisely in this area that DIY content creators are gaining influence. Channels and specialized blogs document tool tests, feedback after several months of use, and comparisons between ranges. This independent content production alters the purchasing journey: the DIYer arrives in-store with a clear idea, sometimes more informed than the salesperson in the aisle.
Online DIY content: between practical tutorials and project documentation
The format of DIY content is evolving. Classic tutorials now coexist with longer formats, where DIYers document the complete construction of a project, from a cabin to van conversions. The singer Vianney, for example, has published videos on building his cabin, reaching an audience well beyond the usual circle of DIY enthusiasts.
This type of content serves several functions:
- It demystifies projects perceived as complex by showing mistakes and adjustments in real-time
- It creates a community around the practice, with exchanges on material choices and techniques
- It serves as an entry point for thoughtful purchases, as each step of the project reveals concrete needs
DIY content is becoming a purchasing decision tool, not just entertainment. Physical workshops follow the same logic: in Lyon, a workshop dedicated to female DIYers specifically trains on electricity, an area where barriers remain significant.
What role for specialized blogs
Independent DIY blogs occupy a space that brand sites struggle to maintain. Their strength lies in a personal tone, unfiltered experiences, and the ability to address niche topics (installation of sump pumps, drainage, renovation of old woodwork) that large platforms skim over.
The value of DIY content is measured by its technical specificity, not by its general reach. DIYers seeking precise answers turn to these sources because they address the problem in its entirety, step by step, without commercial shortcuts.
The DIY market is not going through a simple cyclical crisis. Upcoming regulatory constraints, the shift towards rental, and the rise of independent content are reshaping a sector where the DIYer has more information and choice levers than five years ago. The next deadline to watch remains the rollout of the digital product passport, the concrete effects of which on the shelves are not yet measurable.