The second half of 2024 was marked by some unexpected changes in the manufacturing supply chain. As a result, some sizeable shifts in merchant distribution partners for the UK building plastics market unexpectedly became available. The net effect for Brett Martin as we moved into 2025 was to mitigate negative macro market trends, helping us post growth in quarter one.

However, we are fully aware of the situation on the ground which saw the first quarter failing to break away from any of the negative trends exhibited during the previous year. All eyes were on the new build house market in the hope that consumer confidence might recover and spark a turnaround from the low house starts which are in turn linked directly to the lowest planning approval numbers on record in England. That trend has not yet turned and the Q1 market for drainage products reflects this.

We are pleased that our process of continual service enhancement has built confidence among our core independent merchant sector, enabling us to secure and retain so many high-quality partners, focused on service excellence. Being positive brings multiple benefits to any organisation and is further enhanced by great teamwork and in-depth market knowledge.

Consumer confidence has been hit again and again by many national and international events over the past few years, and it fell to new lows in January. Nothing emerged in early 2025 to break the negative sentiment, despite more promising trends in inflation. It appears the RMI market is more buoyant than new build however big ticket spends such as home extensions require enhanced confidence based on affordability and the direction of the economy and job security.

It was Aristotle who first expressed the thinking attributed to the saying “One Swallow doesn’t make a summer”. It’s not too much of a stretch to take the philosopher’s view and say that, despite being welcome, even anticipated interest rate cuts will not be enough on their own to jump start this lazy market. More imagination and positive action will be required from government to finally break this cycle.