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 highlighted that builders’ merchants’ sales were down 4% in October 2023, compared to the same month in 2022 – volume sales dropping -11.5% and prices rising +8.4%.
Eight of the twelve categories sold more in October 2023 compared to the previous year, with Miscellaneous (+16.5%) topping the list. Decorating (+10.8%), Workwear & Safetywear (+10.4%), Ironmongery (+7.0%) and Kitchens & Bathrooms (+4.7%) also did better than the merchants overall. Landscaping (-6.4%) and Timber & Joinery Products (-9.7%) were the weakest categories.
Mike Rigby, managing director of MRA Research which produces the BMBI report commented: “Once you track over 90% of builders’ merchants’ sales of building materials to builders and tradespeople the numbers are, practically speaking, the market itself, not an estimate or scaled up approximation of it. That’s a crucial distinction.
“It’s not like a survey or poll which takes a small slice of the market, which is intended to represent the market, and then scales up. However sound your sampling and rigorous your methodology, there’s a world of difference between scaling up from a small sample and reporting on 92% of actual sales to the market.”
Month-on-month, total merchant sales were up +2.2% in October compared to September 2023. Volume sales were flat, and prices registered a moderate increase (+2.3%). With one additional trading day in October, like-for-like sales were -2.4% lower.
Ten of the twelve categories sold more with Workwear & Safetywear (+19.3%) considerably ahead of the rest. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+11.6%) also performed well month-on-month. Landscaping (-6.5%) was weakest.
Total merchant sales in the year to date were -4.8% down on the same period (January to October) the year before. Volume sales were -13.9% lower, and prices rose +10.6%. With two more trading days this period, like-for-like sales were -5.7% lower.
Nine of the twelve categories sold more with Renewables & Water Saving (+35.5%) growing the most, followed by Decorating (+9.7%), Workwear & Safetywear and Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+6.0%). The three largest categories – Heavy Building Materials (-2.4%), Landscaping (-12.5%) and Timber & Joinery Products (-15.0%) – all sold less.
