The latest figures from the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) reveal that total value sales by builders’ merchants across Great Britain were 23% higher in August 2021 compared to the same month last year. Average like-for-like daily sales were up 17.1%.
Eleven out of the 12 product categories sold more in August 2021 compared to August 2020, helped by one more trading day this year, with timber and joinery products topping the list of best performing categories (+51.5%). Heavy building materials (+16.9%), landscaping (+11.5%) and kitchens and bathrooms (+11.3%) also put in a strong monthly performance.
Compared to August 2019, a pre-pandemic year, total merchant value sales were up 18.2% in August 2021, with no difference in trading days. This growth was largely driven by two categories – timber and joinery (+48.4%) and landscaping (+29.7%).
Total value sales for the three months June to August 2021 were 22.1% up on the same period last year, with one fewer trading day this year. Eleven of the 12 categories sold more, with timber and joinery products (+50.2%) especially strong. Total sales were also 20.9% higher than June to August 2019, with no difference in trading days.
For the second month in a row, total merchant sales were down in August compared to July (-7.9%), with no difference in trading days. Only work wear and safety wear (+3.1%) sold more. Value sales for timber and joinery products were -8.6% lower in August compared to July, with landscaping (-14.4%) the weakest category month-on-month.
INDEX
August’s BMBI index was 139.3, helped by strong performances from timber and joinery products (182.6) and landscaping (175.3).
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