BMBI: Merchant Q1 value sales up +0.9% year-on-year. March up +7.2%.

The latest total value sales figures from Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) show that sales for Q1 2025 were up +0.9% compared to Q1 2024. Volume sales increased +3.9%, while prices came down -2.9%. There was no difference in trading days.

Eight of the twelve categories sold more in Q1 2025 compared to the same quarter a year ago, with Services performing best (+5.3%). Heavy Building Materials (+2.0%) outperformed Total Merchants, while the next largest category, Timber & Joinery Products, slipped -1.4% year-on-year. Workwear & Safetywear (-3.3%) was the weakest category.

Quarter-on-quarter

Builders’ merchants’ value sales for Q1 2025 were +5.2% higher than Q4 2024. Eleven of the twelve categories sold more with seasonal category Landscaping (+14.1%) growing the most. Heavy Building Materials (+4.9%) grew more slowly. With two more trading days in the most recent period, like-for-like value sales were +1.9% higher. Volume sales climbed +5.8%, while prices dropped -0.5%.

March sales Year-on-Year

Quarter 1 total value sales were given a boost by March sales, which were up +7.2% year-on-year. Eleven of the twelve categories sold more with Landscaping (+13.2%) ahead the most, followed by Renewables & Water Saving (+13.1%). Miscellaneous (+9.2%), Services (+9.0%), Ironmongery (+8.9%) and Heavy Building Materials (+8.5%) also increased significantly. With one extra trading day in the most recent period, like-for-like sales were +2.1% up. Volume sales increased +11.2%, while prices came down -3.6%.

March sales, Month-on-Month

March value sales were +14.9% higher than February. With one more trading day in March, like-for-like sales were up +9.5%. Volumes increased +17.0% and prices fell -1.8%.

Last 12 months

Total value sales for April 2024 to March 2025 were -2.2% lower than the same period a year earlier. Five of the twelve categories sold more, with Tools (+7.2%), Workwear & Safetywear (+6.6%) and Services (+4.3%) ahead of the rest. Timber & Joinery Products (-4.2%), Kitchens & Bathrooms (-2.9%) and Heavy Building Materials (-2.8%) declined less than Total Merchants. With four more trading days this year, like-for-like value sales were down -3.8%. Volume sales slipped -1.4% compared to the previous 12 months. Prices were down -0.8%.

Derrick McFarland, Managing Director, Keystone Group UK and BMBI’s Expert for Steel Lintels, says:

“The first quarter of 2025, while up (just) compared to a very poor Q1 2024, is up by more compared Q4 2024. That’s the positive news. On the flip side consumer confidence is extremely low based on concerns about the war in Ukraine, Trump’s Tariffs, domestic cost increases, and higher government taxes – a busy first 100 days of 2025.

“New house building is still reporting around 0.6+ houses per site per week, and the sunshine in March and April has attracted more potential buyers, so maybe not all is as gloomy as the economists would suggest. But house building is still a long way off the government targets, and the planning system remains the biggest blockage. Even if new sites got planning permissions they would not be up and running until 2026.

“Both Europe and the UK have anti-dumping levies in place as trade defence measures against steel dumping, and have recently agreed to extend them for another five years with levies between 18% and 28%, depending on the grade of steel. In addition, Europe and the UK are also applying carbon taxes on steel through a CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism). This aims to ensure a price is placed on the carbon emissions associated with steel production, whether domestically or internationally.”

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