In the latest Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report published in May, Britain’s builders’ merchants continued to report strong growth in Q1 2021, with total value sales up 8.6% compared to the previous quarter and 15.1% up on Q1 2020.
Removing the effects of Covid, results are still positive, with merchants reporting an increase of 6% in Q1 2021 on Q1 2019. Growth was fuelled by a bumper March, with total sales up 47.4% on March 2020 and by a no less extraordinary 23% compared to the same month in 2019.
Year-on-year
Landscaping and timber and joinery products saw exceptional year-on-year growth. First quarter landscaping sales were 41.4% up on Q1 2020 and an astonishing 32.3% up on Q1 2019. Over the same periods, timber and joinery products was up 30.5% and 15.8% respectively. Heavy building materials also did well, with sales growth of 10.3% and 1.3%.
Quarter-on-quarter
Merchants sold more in all but one category compared to Q4 2020. Landscaping (+26.2%) was by far the strongest category over the period, followed by timber and joinery products (+12.9%).
Month-on-month
Total sales grew 38.9% in March 2021 compared to February 2021, with all categories reporting growth month-on-month.
Index
The BMBI index for Q1 2021 was 120.7. Timber and joinery products and landscaping were the strongest categories, each at 141.5.
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The Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI)
The BMBI is a brand of the BMF. The BMBI report, which is produced and managed by MRA Research, uses GfK’s Builders Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data which analyses sales out data from over 80% of generalist builders’ merchants’ sales across Great Britain. The full report is on www.bmbi.co.uk.
