The paint industry was initially optimistic about the prospects for 2025, but it has been an uncertain start to the year, with global turmoil overshadowing what was predicted to be a year of recovery for UK construction and housebuilding, in particular.

The Construction Products Association Spring Forecast noted that any uplift in overall construction outputs this year will now be very gradual – just +1.9% growth is predicted from a low base. Private housing output, still challenged by affordability constraints and weak demand, is forecast to increase by just +4.0%. The industry had hoped for better in 2025, given Government commitments to housebuilding, and RMI has also had a sluggish start.

But the year is not a write off. According to Aviva’s How We Live report, almost seven million homeowners plan to renovate their home in 2025. Wages are rising faster than inflation, and further rate cuts are expected. However, politics at home and abroad weighed heavy on consumer sentiment. GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index decreased by four points to -23 in April. All measures were down compared to March, and expectations for the general economic situation over the next 12 months fell to -37, sixteen points worse than April 2024. However, the Major Purchase Index component of the Consumer Confidence Index which correlates with larger domestic purchases and RMI projects is down two points at -19, six points better than April last year.

Market conditions are changeable, but there are still opportunities for merchants to increase sales. Paint for example, is an easy upsell which merchants often leave on the table. Regular customers are already buying building and renovating materials from a branch, but then head off to a paint specialist, or even B&Q to complete their project list of materials. Securing more of an existing customer’s basket is a cost-effective (and easy) way of boosting sales, and many merchants do well out of paint – so why don’t more?

Taking paint seriously as a product line can provide potential for both new build and RMI sales, from trade and DIY customers, making it a universally appealing offer that could pay dividends for merchants who fill in the gaps in their sales strategy this year.