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, published in October, shows builders’ merchants’ total value sales in August 2025 were down -5.0% compared to the same month a year before.
Year-on-year volume decreased -4.1% while prices were also down -1.0%. With one less trading day in 2025, like-for-like value sales for August (which take trading days into account) were -0.3% lower.
Only one of the twelve categories sold more in terms of value compared to August 2024 – Workwear & Safetywear – which was up +2.7%. The worst performing categories were Ironmongery (-6.4%), Heavy Building Materials (-6.6%) and Decorating (-7.8%), but Timber & Joinery Products (-3.0%) performed better than Total Builders Merchants.
Looking month-on-month, value sales in August were -12.7% lower than in July. Volume sales were down -13.4% and prices increased +0.8%. All categories sold less, but Ironmongery (-14.5%) and Miscellaneous (-15.0%) declined more than the rest. With three less trading days in August, like-for-like value sales were +0.3% higher.
August’s BMBI report is available to download online.
