New stats for merchant sector reveal £6bn+ annual sales

Data released to the BMF’s members represent the first examples of top line data generated by market research company GfK’s new Builders Merchants Panel, which represents 80% of the UK’s general builders merchants.

The sample data, for Q3 2014, shows that panel members’ total sales value for the period was £1.3bn – indicating annualised sales in the region of £5.4bn. The £6bn figure is a projection which includes non-members.

The data shows the effect of fewer trading days and annual holidays in August, with monthly sales down by 12.1% on July. Sales bounced back by 11.1% in September, but didn’t quite reach the July high point.

Of the total Q3 sales, over 75% came from just three product areas, heavy building materials (47.2%), timber and joinery products (21%) and landscaping (8.4%). Other areas being tracked include decorating, plumbing heating and electrics, kitchens and bathrooms, tools, and ironmongery.

GfK will track how these shares vary throughout the year and, from Q3 2015, year on year. Data highlights for Q4 2014 will be published in February 2015.

“This is the culmination of over two years work between the BMF and GfK and I’m extremely excited to see the first results,” said BMF managing director John Newcomb.

“The very top line statistics will add breadth to the wider quarterly figures currently available for the construction industry.”

The vast majority of the initial panellists are BMF members.