THE owner of DIY chain B&Q has reacted to falling UK sales by announcing plans to close 22 stores and downsize another 16.

In the toughest market conditions it has seen in years, Kingfisher said the changes were part of an action plan that last week saw it shed 400 office jobs.

The retailer, which has 335 B&Q sites, did not disclose the locations of the outlets to close, but said they were in areas already well-served by other B&Q stores.

The affected stores employ a total of 1,250 people, with B&Q hoping to transfer as many as possible.

It also said about 16 of the DIY chain's larger warehouse stores would be converted to a smaller format, allowing the remaining space to be marketed to other retailers.

The initiatives came as Kingfisher announced a 33.7 per cent fall in UK profits for the six months to July 30. The company said the domestic market had continued to deteriorate since then.

B&Q sales fell 2.6 per cent to £2.1bn in the six months, reflecting fewer shoppers rather than a downturn in transaction values.

The store changes announced for the UK business are expected to reduce total selling space by about seven per cent.