29 April, 2021
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The latest Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index (PHMI) report shows that specialist plumbing and heating merchants’ sales in February were up 1.2% on February 2020, on an equal number of trading days.
This takes total sales above their pre-pandemic level, indicating recovery in the sector despite the country remaining in lockdown throughout February. It was also an improvement on January’s figure, which saw sales 5.0% lower than in January 2020.
The monthly comparison was also positive. Plumbing and heating merchants’ sales increased by 3% in February compared with January 2021, again with no difference in trading days.
Looking at specialist merchants’ combined performance over the latest 12 months compared with the previous 12 month period, sales remain 13.6% behind last year, but as the reporting approaches the first anniversary of the initial lockdown, with its severe impact on sales in April and May 2020, the scope of returning to MAT year-on-year growth can be anticipated.