Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Figures released in the latest BMF Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) confirm sales growth for the second successive quarter, following two years of consistent declines, but the outlook is far from certain.
Looking at the quarter as a whole, year-on-year total value sales in Q1 2025 grew by +2.8% on the same period in 2024. With one less trading day this year, like-for-like value sales (which take account of trading day differences) were +4.5% higher.
Total volume sales increased by +4.0%, while prices fell -1.1%, and Value sales increased in nine of 12 product categories. The performance of the largest category, Heavy Building Materials (+2.7%) was in line with the overall market, with volumes up by 4.2%, and average price declining by 1.4%. Looking at the underlying data, both bricks and aggregates achieved noticeable volume growth. Aggregates had the largest impact on the average price decline.
Timber & Joinery Products, the second largest category, outperformed the total market with sales value increasing by +3.7% against Q2 2024. At the other end of the scale, Decorating recorded the weakest performance (-2.0%).
A comparison of value growth in Q2 2025 with Q1 2025 shows total value sales in the latest three months were +11.7% higher than in the previous three months. Total volume sales increased by +13.9%, and prices were down by -2.0%. With two less trading days in Q2 2025, like-for-like value sales were +15.3% higher than the previous quarter.
John Newcomb, CEO of the BMF said: “I’ve visited merchants in different parts of the country in recent weeks, and the most common description of current trading conditions is ‘tough’. Business is out there, but there is a lot of competition to win it, and the market is treating signs of recovery as tentative. It seems that everyone is waiting for the confidence to commit to new projects. When consumers and businesses feel optimistic about the economy, they are more likely to spend and invest, fuelling growth and job creation. The current climate of uncertainty is constraining the conditions required for sustained growth.”
