BMBI: kitchen and bathroom merchant sales up 46%

Kitchen and bathroom sales through the merchants have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, showing growth in the past three months.

23 Jun, 21

Kitchen and bathroom sales, through the builders merchants, have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels and shown growth in the past three months, according to the Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report

BMBI: kitchen and bathroom merchant sales up 46%

It found kitchen and bathroom sales have been affected by showroom closures national lockdowns and a hesitancy among homeowners and installers about working in the home.

However, kitchen and bathroom sales have been positive month-on-month up 18.7% on March 2020.

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In the latest BMBI report, it stated total merchants value sales in April 2021 were “exceptionally” high compared to April 2020 (+419.2%).

Kitchens & Bathrooms were also “significantly” ahead of April 2020 with sales up 706.6%

However with many merchants closed during April last year, the BMBI also compared sales against April 2019 and total sales were up 22.1%.

Out of 12 product categories, only Kitchens & Bathrooms sold less in April 2021, compared to April 2019 (-1.3%)

Over the last three months – February to April 2021 – total value sales were up 72.4% compared to the same three months in 2020, with one more trading day this year.

Landscaping (+133.1%), Timber & Joinery Products (+99.6%) and Tools (+86.2%) were the top performers but Kitchens & Bathrooms sales (+46.4%) improved too.

Compared to the same three months of 2019, total sales were up +15.6% overall, helped by two more trading days.

Kitchens & Bathrooms sales were -2.8% behind 2019 figures, and the only category to report lower sales.

Total Builders Merchants sales in April were slightly lower month-on-month following a record-breaking March (-0.9%), not helped by three fewer trading days.

Only Landscaping (+15.5%) and Timber & Joinery Products (+0.4%) sold more. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (-13.1%) was the weakest performing category. Kitchen & Bathroom sales stood at -5.9%.

April’s Total Builders Merchants index was 150.6, the second highest ever recorded, with Kitchens & Bathrooms at 113.5.