Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report, a monthly index of builders’ merchant sales by the Builders Merchants Federation, shows builders’ merchants’ total value sales in April were up +3.0% compared to April 2024.
Volumes increased +3.4% year-on-year, while prices eased -0.3%. With one less trading day in the most recent period, like-for-like value sales – which take trading day differences into account – were up +8.2%.
Seven of the Index’s twelve categories sold more compared to April last year, with seasonal category Landscaping (+13.3%) well ahead of the rest. Workwear & Safetywear (+8.7%), Miscellaneous (+5.3%) and Heavy Building Materials (+3.7%) performed well. Timber & Joinery Products (+1.7%) also sold more but less than Total Merchants. The weakest categories were Decorating (-3.3%) and Plumbing Heating & Electrical (-3.9%).
Value sales in April were +0.9% above the previous month’s sales. Month-on-month, volume sales were flat at -0.2%, and prices increased +1.0%. Just four categories sold more compared to March, with Landscaping (+15.6%) and Workwear & Safety (+6.0%) ahead the most. The two largest categories – Timber & Joinery Products (+0.7%) and Heavy Building Materials (+0.1%) – sold more but underperformed compared to Total Merchants. With one less trading day in April, like-for-like value sales were +5.9% up.
Total value sales in the 12 months May 2024 to April 2025 were down -2.3% on the previous 12-month period (May 2023 to April 2024). Volume sales dropped -1.5% and prices were -0.8% lower Five of the twelve categories sold more with Workwear & Safetywear and Tools (both +5.3%) out in front, followed by Services (+3.5%), Miscellaneous (+0.8%) and Landscaping (+0.2%). Timber & Joinery Products (-4.2%) and Heavy Building Materials (-2.6%) declined more than Total Merchants, while Renewables & Water Saving (-16.4%) was the weakest category.
Year to date (January to April 2025), total value sales were +1.5% higher than the first four months of 2024.
