The Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) states total value sales were virtually flat (0.2%) in July, compared to the same month in 2021, but kitchens and bathrooms were third best category.

Trending down over previous months, volume sales were down 12.8% but price inflation remained high up 15.0%.

Out of the 12 categories sold through builders merchants 10 sold more in July 2022 compared to the previous year.

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Renewables & Water Saving and Workwear & Safetywear performed best, up 25.5% and 20.2% respectively.

While Kitchens & Bathrooms was the third best performing category with an increase of 13.1%, followed by Plumbing, Heating & Electrical, which was up 10.7%.

Only Landscaping, with a dip of 4.6%, and Timber & Joinery Products, showing a decline of 14.4%, sold less.

Compared to July 2019, a more normal pre-pandemic year, total merchant value sales were 13.3% higher.

With two less trading days this year, like-for-like sales were up +24.1%.

Three categories did better than total Merchants, with Timber & Joinery Products up 23.8%, Renewables & Water Saving up 18.6% and Landscaping showing an increase of 17.7%.

Kitchens & Bathrooms also showed growth of 11.3%, albeit the category grew more slowly.

The total sales over the last three months, from May to July 2022, were +4.4% up on the same period last year with no difference in trading days.

Kitchens & Bathrooms was the second strongest category, showing an increase 17.4%, behind Renewables & Water Saving which was up 20.0%.

Comparing total merchant sales month-by-month, sales in July fell 2.6% compared to June 2022, with volume sales down 5.2%, while prices rose 2.7%.

With one more trading day in the most recent period, like-for-like sales were 7.3% lower.

The strongest categories month-by-month were Renewables & Water Saving, which were up 4.8% and Kitchens & Bathrooms, which increased 3.2%.

Brand of the BMF, the BMBI report is produced and managed by MRA Research, uses GfK’s Builders Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data.

It analyses sales out data from over 80% of builders’ merchants’ sales across Great Britain.