UK Concrete Sales Hit 75 Year Low Amid Housing Crisis

Sales of ready-mix concrete in the UK have experienced a significant decline, dropping by 9.9 per cent in 2025, marking the lowest levels recorded in over seven decades. This downturn is attributed to a bureaucratic backlog that has severely hampered new housing developments across the nation. According to figures from the Mineral Products Association, concrete sales in London fell by a staggering 27 per cent in 2025, standing 39 per cent below the levels seen in 2023.

The current situation poses a considerable blow to the government’s ambitions for increasing housebuilding. Despite pledges from Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer to construct 1.5 million new homes throughout the parliamentary term, progress has been slow. Only 309,600 new homes have been completed since the last general election, which occurred 18 months ago.

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has indicated that there are ongoing discussions within the government regarding the introduction of demand-side measures, including a potential new version of a help-to-buy scheme. Nevertheless, efforts to improve London’s housing situation, such as reducing the proportion of affordable homes that developers are required to offer, have not yielded the desired results. This has left numerous development projects in limbo.

The current challenges are exacerbated by delays in the approval of high-rise developments, which are linked to backlogs at the Building Safety Regulator. This regulatory body, part of the Health and Safety Executive, has faced criticism regarding the prolonged time taken to ensure that new developments comply with updated safety laws introduced after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, which claimed 72 lives.

According to Aurelie Delannoy, Director of Economic Affairs at the Mineral Products Association, the ongoing downturn indicates a fragile UK construction sector and weak investment confidence. As these materials are essential at the beginning of construction projects, sustained weakness in demand demonstrates that the UK is failing to meet its commitments regarding housing and critical infrastructure.

Rob Wood, Chief Executive of Breedon Group, remarked that the latest statistics present a bleak picture, highlighting further declines and historical lows. He expressed concerns that despite governmental calls for increased construction, the nation is moving backwards, increasing the risk of failing to meet housing targets.

Chris Leese, Executive Chair of the Mineral Products Association, stated that despite political ambitions for growth, recent budget measures have been inadequate. The current state of material demand reflects long-standing delivery failures and growing risks to the UK’s domestic construction supply capacity.