Headlines from the latest Builders Merchant Building Index report, published in December, show that sales increased in October 2024 both compared to the previous month and year-on-year. However, average daily takings remained in decline.
The Builders Merchant Building Index tracks point-of-sale data from 88% of generalist builders鈥� merchants鈥� sales throughout Great Britain.
Overall, sales revenue in October was 7.3% higher than in September and sales volumes were up 6.5%.聽 However, with two more trading days in October, average daily takings were down 2.1%.
All bar one of the 12 product categories sold more in October than September, with sales of renewables & water saving products up by 33.3%. Only landscaping products saw fewer sales in October than September, a category slowdown explained by the change in seasons.
Comparing October 2024 with October 2023, takings for the month were up by 1.2% and sales volumes were up 2.7%, with prices slipping 1.4%.
However, October 2024 had one more trading day than October 2023 鈥� daily takings were down by an average of 3.2%.
In the 12-month period between November 2023 and October 2024, takings were down 4.8% compared to the same period the year before (November 2022 to October 2023). Volume sales were 6.3% lower and prices increased by 1.6%.
Takings from January to October were down 4.5% compared to the first ten months of 2023.
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