Figures for February 2020 released in the Builders Merchants Federation’s (BMF’s) Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) point to a lacklustre month for sales through UK builders’ merchants.
February’s trading is unlikely to have been much affected by the emerging coronavirus pandemic, pre-dating social distancing, which started on March 19, and the lockdown measures, which took effect on March 24.
Total builders’ merchants’ sales during the month were down -1.3% compared with February 2019. Sales in three categories were weaker including the two largest, heavy building materials (-1.9%) and timber and joinery products (-6.9%). Tools was also weaker at -4.0%.
Among the categories to show year-on-year growth, there was strong demand for workwear and safetywear (+30.8%), driven by higher demand for protective equipment including masks, googles and gloves. Landscaping sold 7.4% more and kitchens and bathrooms grew by 3.5%.
Sales in February were 2.2% higher than in January 2020, despite having two less trading days, and February being one of the wettest on record.
Sales in the three months December 2019 to February 2020 were -1.2% lower than in the same period a year earlier. Nine categories improved, including workwear and safetywear (+14.1%) and landscaping (+5.3%). However, timber and joinery products (-6%) and tools (-4.8%) were weaker.
Overall, the 12 months March 2019 to February 202 were down 0.9% on the same period a year earlier, with one less trading day. Average sales per day (which takes trading day differences into account) in the last 12 months were down 0.5%.
John Newcomb, chief executive officer of the BMF, said: “While we all know the figures for the first quarter will be pretty abysmal when they are released next month, it is interesting to look back at the trend before COVID-19 took hold. It is clear that the negative trend over the past three quarters has continued into the first two months of 2020.
“Public confidence was already at a low after three years of Brexit uncertainty, and any possibility of a Brexit bounce, following the signing of the Withdrawal Agreement in January, was swiftly countered by widespread flooding hindering work in February. How long ago that all seems today. We may have to wait until 2021 until we fully understand what the new normal will look like.”
