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There is a “big disconnect” between the construction output figures from the Office of National Statistics and what the industry is actually experiencing, says Geoff Cooper, chief executive of builders merchant group Travis Perkins.
Cooper was interviewed for the Financial Times’ View from the Top video channel. The ONS figures show that the construction industry contracted by 0.5%, however, Cooper said that there is concern that the figures “are not a true reflection of what is going on”.
Watch the full interview here
He said that there is “a big disconnect between what we see and feel on the ground and the official figures”, and that the industry generally believes that the market is “probably flat”.
The Travis Perkins boss is not the only one to express concern at the apparent disparity between figures and experience. The Construction Products Association has also expressed concern that the figures do not reflect the reality.
