New Pimberly Report Reveals Builders’ Merchants and Manufacturers Are Confident in Their Product Data but Are Losing Sales Due to a Costly Disconnect
UK builders’ merchants and manufacturers are confident in their product data, yet more than a third admit poor information has cost them sales, according to new research commissioned by Pimberly.
How much is poor product data really costing the construction industry? According to a new report from Product Information Management specialist Pimberly, the answer could be more than businesses realise.
The State of Product Data in UK Construction 2026, independently researched by MRA Research, reveals that businesses spend an average of 26 hours every week managing and correcting product information.
But the consequences extend well beyond lost time.
The hidden cost of poor product data
The research, involving 80 senior decision-makers from UK builders’ merchants and manufacturers, found that 34% have experienced lost or missed sales because of poor product data.
Perhaps more surprisingly, 98% remain confident in the quality of their product information.
It’s a striking contradiction that raises an important question: are businesses underestimating the commercial impact of their product data?
Digital expectations are changing
With younger trade professionals reshaping buying habits, the pressure to provide accurate, accessible product information is growing.
Yet the report reveals a significant gap between digital ambition and reality.
Just 20% of businesses currently consider themselves very digitally advanced, although 79% expect to reach that level within five years.
So what’s holding the industry back, and where are businesses planning to invest?
A growing commercial priority
Callum Budd, Research Director at MRA Research, commented:
“The finding that 34% of businesses admit to having lost sales directly because of poor product data shows this is no longer simply an operational issue, but a clear commercial risk.”
The full white paper explores the challenges facing merchants and manufacturers, the barriers to digital progress and the opportunities for businesses looking to improve their product information.
Read the full white paper
Commissioned by Pimberly and independently conducted by MRA Research, The State of Product Data in UK Construction 2026 offers insights into the changing role of product data across the UK construction supply chain.
Click here to explore the findings and read the full white paper
