The latest figures from the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI), published in October, reveal that total value sales by builders’ merchants across Great Britain were +10% up in August 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. But volume sales were down -4.2% with +14.8% price inflation driving value sales.
Only timber and joinery products (-5.7%) sold less in August 2022 compared to the previous year and previous highs. Nine categories outperformed merchants overall with renewables and water saving (+27.3%) and kitchens and bathrooms (+26.9%) leading the field. Heavy building materials (+17.7%) also performed well. With an extra trading day in August 2022, like-for-like sales were +5% higher.
Compared to August 2019, a more normal pre-pandemic year, total merchant value sales were +29.9% higher. Volume sales were down -1.2% while prices were up +31.5%. With one extra trading day this year, like-for-like sales were up +24%. Three of the 12 categories grew more than total merchants with timber and joinery products (+39.9%) the strongest.
Total sales in the three months June to August 2022 were +2.8% up on the same period last year, with price inflation of +15.7%, and volumes down -11.1%. With two fewer trading days, like-for-like sales were +6.1%. Ten of the 12 categories sold more than merchants overall. Timber and joinery products (-10.9%) was the weakest category.
Month-on-month, total merchant sales were up +1.1% in August compared to July. Volume sales were virtually flat (-0.2%) and prices increased +1.3%. With one more trading day in the most recent period, like-for- like sales were down -3.5%. Timber and joinery products (+0.7%) recorded marginal growth.
