BMBI reports third lockdown affected indoor trades

Builders merchants value sales in January 2021 were 3.7% lower than in January 2020, as the third lockdown affected indoor trades, reports the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI).

30 Mar, 21

Builders merchants value sales in January 2021 were 3.7% lower than in January 2020, as the third lockdown affected indoor trades, reports the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI).

BMBI reports third lockdown affects indoor trades

The latest BMBI report reveals Kitchens & Bathrooms sales were also lower year-on-year, although there were two fewer trading days in January 2021.

Indoor trades including Plumbing, Heating & Electrical, Kitchens & Bathrooms and Decorating were all down 11.9%, 13.5% and 17.2%, respectively

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In fact only three categories had higher sales in January 2020; Timber & Joinery Products (+7.7%), Landscaping (+3.7%) and Workwear & Safetywear (+2.4%).

In the latest three months to January 2021, sales were 4.4% higher than in the same period a year previously.

Landscaping and Timber & Joinery Products were the top performing categories but Kitchens & Bathrooms sales fell by 4.8%.

However, taking a month-on-view, total merchants’ sales in January 2021 were 20.6% higher than in December 2020, helped by three more trading days, with Workwear & Safetywear (+39.1%) ahead of all other categories. Sales of Kitchens & Bathrooms were 8% up on December.

January’s BMBI index was 100.7, with Kitchens & Bathrooms at 94.4.

Kitchen and bathroom sales through merchants were reported to have been slow to recover from the pandemic, according to the BMBI.

The BMBI is a brand of the Builders Merchants Federation and uses data from GfK’s General Builders’ Merchants Panel, which analyses sales-out from over 80% of generalist builders’ merchants’ sales throughout Great Britain.