UK Trade Paint volumes softened further in Q2 with demand under pressure as construction and housing sectors weakened, comments BMBI Expert Jamie Barber of Dulux Read the BMBI Q2 2026: bmbi.co.uk/wp-content/upload…

The UK construction market presents a mixed and challenging picture in Q2. Housebuilding is under considerable pressure, from affordability constraints, planning delays and subdued consumer and investor confidence, says #BMBI Expert Kevin Bohea. More: bmbi.co.uk/experts/kevin-boh…

📣 BMBI category update Q2 2026 By value, three of the twelve categories sold more: 1. Services (+7.3%) 2. Workwear & Safetywear (+4.5%) 3. Miscellaneous (+2.3%) Full report: bmbi.co.uk/wp-content/upload… Insights powered by @MRAResearch #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #InsightsAndData

While Q2 2026 saw an improvement in overall volumes versus Q1 2026, it was still lower than the same period in 2025, says #BMBI Expert Derrick McFarland of @keystonelintels. More: bmbi.co.uk/wp-content/upload…

The second quarter has brought little improvement for the UK construction industry, with weak demand continuing to weigh on building materials sales. Read the BMBI Q2 Report: bmbi.co.uk/wp-content/upload…

By the end of June 2026, the wider UK economy remained in a state of minimal growth The BMBI Q2 2026 Report: bmbi.co.uk/wp-content/upload…

The Q2 BMBI report - out now - shows that this quarter’s unadjusted Builders’ Merchant volume sales fell -6.6% year-on-year. Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4duijc7 Insights powered by @MRAResearch #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #UKConstruction #BuildingMaterials #InsightsAndData

Commenting on the May BMBI report, MRA Research’s Mike Rigby said: “Builders’ Merchants’ sales are in the Doldrums: value sales are flat, prices are up, volume down year on year while the Government sorts itself out." Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wzsRyq #BMBI

BMBI category update May 2026 By value, only two of the twelve categories sold more: 1. Workwear & Safetywear (+7.5%) 2. Services (+3.3%) Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wzsRyq #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #InsightsAndData #MerchantServices #Timber&Joinery #WaterSaving

The May BMBI report - out now - shows that unadjusted Builders’ Merchant volume sales fell -10.5% year-on-year Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wzsRyq #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #UKConstruction #BuildingMaterials #InsightsAndData #MerchantServices

📈 The BMBI growth tracker of builders’ merchant sales to builders and trades for the year to date: ⬇ Like-for-like value sales down -2.5% ⬇ Like-for-like volumes sales down -6.9% ⬆ Prices up +4.7% Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wwbj5x #BMBI #BuildersMerchants

📣 BMBI category update – April 2026 By value, three of the twelve categories sold more: 1. Services (+7.0%) 2. Timber & Joinery (+1.6%) 3. Miscelllaneous (+0.2%). Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wwbj5x #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #InsightsAndData #MerchantServices

The April BMBI report - out now - reveals that year-on-year Merchant volume sales are still falling, albeit at a slower rate (-3.5%). Full BMBI report: bit.ly/4wwbj5x #BMBI #BuildersMerchants #UKConstruction #BuildingMaterials #InsightsAndData #MerchantServices

For decades, the construction industry has treated fragmentation...as standard procedure. However, the regulatory landscape of 2026 has rendered this ‘pick and mix’ approach a significant liability, #BMBI Expert Matt Williams, Polypipe Building Products bit.ly/49x4yaM

…customers continue to manage stock carefully... forward sales of sawn timber products shifting towards landed ‘quay stocks’ as businesses seek greater flexibility in an uncertain market, #BMBI Expert James Davenport @MetsaWoodUK. More: bit.ly/49x4yaM

If we are to see any return to growth in housebuilding this year, we need the Government to work harder to release the bottlenecks in planning and to drive demand and affordability., says #BMBI Expert Andrew Simpson, @hd_materialsUK. BMBI report here: bit.ly/49x4yaM

Our industry is no stranger to disruption. Covid, the Ukraine war and the Evergrande blockage have all stretched supply chains.... The situation in Iran has once again triggered an unwelcome oil price shock says #BMBI Expert Neil Hargreaves of @Knauf_UK. bit.ly/49x4yaM

Our energy costs, even with government support still outstrip our European counterparts...costs will be passed into the market until such time as the Government delivers on its ‘clean energy superpower mission’ #BMBI Derrick McFarland @keystonelintels. bit.ly/49x4yaM

Despite this, lightside decorative materials continue to provide opportunities to drive value and attachment rates to increase basket spend, alongside other construction categories, says #BMBI Expert Jamie Barber, @DuluxTrade. Read the BMBI Q1 2026: bit.ly/49x4yaM

The UK housing stock is old and inefficient, and meeting net zero ambitions alongside housing delivery targets cannot be achieved through incremental upgrades. Success will depend on collaboration rather than substitution… More: bit.ly/49x4yaM