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The latest survey results showed that, although market confidence levels haven’t improved, 41% of merchant branches expect their sales to increase in Q1 compared with sales over the same period in 2025.

According to a new report by MRA Building Market Reports (MRA Reports), future growth in the general builders’ merchant market is expected to be slow and gradual between 2026 and 2030. MRA forecasts value growth of 11% over the period. Since 2019, the market has seen growth of 18% in value terms, though volume sales have declined. The new report quantifies the general builders’ merchants’ market, excluding plumbing & heating merchants and other specialist segments within buil

MRA Building Market Reports (MRA Reports) was set up last year by two leading researchers in building markets intelligence, Anna Eriksson and Mike Rigby. The new agency aims to provide companies in the building materials supply chain, advisors and investors with a better understanding of the rapidly changing structure and dynamics of building product markets. Anna Eriksson gained an extensive knowledge and understanding of building product markets during ten years at a well-k

As 2025 wraps up, MRA Research reviews the latest data and recent developments in the construction sector to help make sense of what 2026 may bring. A deflated third quarter Figures covering the third quarter of 2025 have been looking quite pessimistic. For example, the Q3 figures from the Mineral Products Association (MPA) revealed continued weakness in aggregates, concrete and asphalt sales and the MPA said construction materials demand is at ‘crisis levels’. Data from the

A new survey of general builders’ merchant branch managers, which measures expectations and confidence, has found that the upcoming budget announcement has been a big contributor to the uncertainty felt in the market for a while now. In total, 42% of merchants found economic policy had a significant impact on market confidence. Overall, merchants’ confidence in the market is poor. Only 21% of merchants are more confident in the market this year than they were last year – and

The first edition in a new series of ‘The Pulse’ surveys of merchant branch managers found their biggest problems in Q3 were squeezed margins, online competition and supplier price rises. Those same issues were seen as a problem for more than 1 in 2 merchants. The new survey will be published quarterly by MRA Building Market Reports, along with a set of forecasts for the UK builders’ merchants market. The survey also found that the majority of merchant branch managers expect