Analysis from the BMF (Builders Merchants Federation), found sales in the North East dropped the least over the entire year at -2.4%, but recorded the highest sales increase in Q4 (+5.6%) and in December (+11.9%) when compared to the same time periods in 2023.
Considered to be a key bellwether for the national economic picture, building materials sales are analysed in the BMF’s quarterly Building Materials Building Index (BMBI).
The BMF’s BMBI is drawn from 88 per cent of builders’ merchants sales throughout the country, using GfK’s point of sale tracking data to make it one of the most reliable measures of sales activity for the sector.
BMF CEO John Newcomb said: “Our BMBI analysis monitors both national trends and regional variances.
“Nationally, sales of building materials fell -4.1% in 2024 compared to 2023, with a slight decline of -0.5% recorded in Q4 and a rise of +3% December.
“The unexpected growth recorded at the end of the year mirrors the wider economic picture, demonstrating that the building materials sector reflects the ‘mood of the nation’ particularly around home repair, maintenance and improvement.”