Record month for plumbing and heating merchants

Posted 24th January 2022

The latest figures for November from the Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) report show monthly total value sales through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were the highest recorded since the PHMI started in January 2019.

Total year-on-year value sales were 9.0% up on November 2020. Like-for-like sales a day, which take into account the extra trading day in November 2021, were up 4.1% up against the same month in 2020.

Compared to November 2019, a pre-pandemic year, total value sales for November 2021 were up 6.1% with one more trading day this year. Like-for-like sales were 1.3% higher.

Month-on-month sales were also positive, with November up 9.1% compared to October with one more trading day in November. Like-for-like sales, which take the number of trading days into account, were up 4.1%.

Value sales in the three months September to November 2021 were 2.4% higher than the same three months in 2020, with no difference in trading days.

Compared to the same three months in 2019, September to November 2021 sales were up 1.7%, with no difference in trading days.

Total quarterly sales for September to November 2021 were 15.5% higher than the preceding three months (June to August), with one more trading day in the most recent period. Like-for-like sales were up 13.7%.

Year to date, in the 11 months January to November 2021, total value sales through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were 19.9% higher than the same period last year, with two less trading days this year. Values sales were also up 2.5% on the same 11 months in 2019, again with two less trading days. Like-for-like sales were 21.0% higher than 2020, and 3.4% up on 2019.

Plumbing & Heating merchants’ sales in the last 12 months (December 2020 to November 2021) were 18.7% ahead of December 2019 to November 2020, with no difference in trading days.

Mike Rigby, CEO of MRA Research, which produces the report comments: “The heating season has well and truly arrived for British plumbing and heating merchants, with the latest figures revealing the industry has had its best month since the PHMI started in January 2019.

“Despite concerns over the possibility of a winter lockdown, with difficulties for inside trades, the industry escaped restrictions and consumers continued to spend heavily on home improvements, like upgrades to their heating to improve efficiency and counteract rising energy costs. The big question is whether this is sustained into December to finish the year on a high after such a difficult start to 2021.”

The Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) is the first to analyse point of sales data collated from specialist plumbing & heating merchants with combined annual sales of £3bn, to chart their performance month-to-month.

Based on data from GfK’s Plumbing & Heating Merchant Panel, which represents over 80% of the market by value, the report provides reliable data and a platform and voice for the industry, as well as for leading plumbing & heating brands. It is produced by MRA Research for the Builders Merchants Federation. There is no overlap or double counting between PHMI and the Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) sales data.

The latest report can be downloaded here.