BMBI

BUILDERS MERCHANT BUILDING INDEX

RECORD JUNE DELIVERS RECORD BREAKING SALES FOR MERCHANTS IN Q2

The latest figures from the Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI), published in August, reveal that record breaking value sales in June helped builders’ merchants hit their best ever quarter in Q2 2021 since the BMBI began in July 2014.

YEAR-ON-YEAR

Total Builders Merchants value sales were 96.0% higher in Q2 2021 than in Q2 2020, with no difference in trading days. Tools (+151.4%) had the highest year-on-year increase, with Kitchens & Bathrooms (+141.3%) also reporting strong growth. Four categories had their best-ever quarterly sales. These included Timber & Joinery Products (+134.6%), Ironmongery (+105.9%), Heavy Building Materials (+81.4%) and Landscaping (+71.1%). Total sales were also up compared to Q2 2019 (+20.3%) – a more normal pre-Covid year – with all categories selling more over the period. Landscaping did best (+48.3%), closely followed by Timber & Joinery Products (+41.3%).

QUARTER-ON-QUARTER

Q2 total value sales were up 24.1% on Q1 2021 with two less trading days. Ten out of the 12 product categories sold more, with the seasonal Landscaping category significantly ahead (+67.8%). Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (-3.5%) and Workwear & Safetywear (-11.4%) were the only two categories that sold less over the period.

JUNE SALES, YEAR-ON-YEAR

Total sales for June 2021 were 29.5% higher than the same month last year. Timber & Joinery Products recorded its highest ever BMBI monthly sales (+57.5%), despite continuing material shortages. Heavy Building Materials also chalked up its best-ever monthly sales (+22.7%).

Kitchens & Bathrooms had its highest sales in the last 12 months (+43.4%) as pent-up demand for internal trades starts to catch up with external categories.

JUNE SALES, MONTH-ON-MONTH

Total sales for June 2021 were 11.1% higher than May, helped by three extra trading days. All categories sold more, with Workwear & Safetywear (+16.7%), Timber & Joinery Products (+15.2%) and Kitchens & Bathrooms (+12.2%) outperforming merchants generally.

YEAR-TO-DATE

In the first six months of 2021, total sales were 49.2% higher than in January to June 2020 and 13.5% higher than the same period in 2019. Average sales a day were 50.4% higher in the first half of this year compared to the same six months of last year, with Timber & Joinery Products the strongest category year-to-date (+74.0%).

INDEX

The Q2 BMBI Index was 149.7 with one less trading day. Landscaping (237.5) and Timber & Joinery Products (183.0) were the strongest performers.

GfK’s Builders Merchant Panel

GfK’s Merchant Panel includes national, multi-regional and regional merchants such as Buildbase, Jewson, Travis Perkins, EH Smith, Gibbs & Dandy, MKM and Bradfords. GfK’s Builders’ Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data represents more than 80% of the value of the builders’ merchant market. GfK insights can trace product group performance and track relevant features. GfK can also produce robust like-for-like market comparability, tailored to the requirements of an individual business.

The Builders Merchant Building Index The BMBI is published every month, in print and online. A full quarterly report is available every three months. The BMBI is a brand of the Builders Merchants Federation. Launched and produced by MRA Research, it uses sales-out data from GfK’s Builders Merchant Panel. BMBI includes a panel of leading industry Experts, who speak exclusively for their markets.

For the full report, Expert comments and Round Table Debates, visit www.bmbi.co.uk.