BMBI reports kitchens and bathrooms outperforms merchants

The latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report, published in January, shows kitchens and bathroom sales outperformed merchant sales.

Kitchens and bathrooms sales have shown positive growth monthon-month, over the last three months and also against last year’s performance.

Value sales by Britain’s builders’ merchants in November 2022 were up +1.4% in November 2022 compared to the same month in 2021.

This was inflation-led growth as volume sales tumbled -13.6% and prices climbed +17.3%.

Year-on-year

Nine of the 12 categories sold more in November compared to the previous year, with Renewables & Water Saving, up 37.9%, as the standout category.

Plumbing, Heating & Electrical was up 17.5%, with Workwear &

Safetywear up 16.6%, followed by Kitchens & Bathrooms, which grew by 14.8%.

Timber & Joinery Products was the weakest merchant category, dropping by 12%

Compared to November 2019, a more normal pre-pandemic year, total merchant value sales were 29.8% higher. Volume sales fell by 4.1% while prices were up 35.3%.

With one extra trading day, likefor-like sales were 23.9% higher and all 12 categories sold more, including Kitchens & Bathrooms up 28.7%.

Last three months

Total sales in the three months September to November 2022 were up 3.9% up on the same period last year, with price inflation of 15.1%, and volumes down 9.7%.

Ten of the 12 categories sold more with Renewables & Water Saving up 54.8%, ahead of the rest and Kitchens & Bathrooms grew

14.9%, which was better than merchants overall.

Month-on-month

Total merchant sales dropped slightly in November by 2.6% compared to October, while prices went up by 4.9% but volume sales fell 7.2%.

Despite the additional trading day in November, like-for-like sales were down 7%.

However, Kitchens & Bathrooms was the second best performing category up 10%, marginally behind Workwear & Safetywear, which showed an increase of 11.2%.

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