For supermarkets, convenience stores, and any non-specialised shop where food and drink make up the majority of sales.
SIC codes for retail and hospitality
Retail and hospitality is one of the largest SIC code spaces in UK SIC 2007, with dozens of sub-codes for individual product categories and service types. The eleven codes below cover the ones most commonly used by Scottish retail shops, restaurants, pubs, cafes, hotels, and small bars. The split is fairly intuitive: 47xxx codes are retail (further split by what you sell), 55xxx codes are accommodation, and 56xxx codes are food service and drinking establishments. A high-street shop selling food and household goods registers 47110. A clothing boutique picks 47710. A licensed restaurant picks 56101 and a pub picks 56302. The distinction between 47110 (non-specialised stores with food predominating) and 47190 (other non-specialised stores) matters for supermarkets versus general retailers. For specialised retail outside the categories below, the wider 47xxx group has many more codes covering everything from books to pharmaceuticals.
SIC codes retail and hospitality businesses typically choose
For non-food general retailers like department stores, discount retailers, and variety shops. The catch-all for non-specialised retail where food is not the lead category.
For greengrocers, fruit and vegetable shops, and specialised produce retailers.
For specialist computer and software retailers. Used by tech shops, electronics specialists, and software-led stores.
For clothing boutiques, fashion retailers, and any specialised clothing shop, including children's wear, workwear, and fashion accessories.
For hotels, motels, inns, and similar paid-accommodation businesses providing rooms by the night.
For self-catering holiday accommodation, holiday parks, hostels, and short-term lets operated as collective accommodation.
For restaurants with a premises licence to serve alcohol. The default code for most UK sit-down restaurants and brasseries.
For cafes, sandwich shops, takeaway-led restaurants, and any food-service business that doesn't hold a licence to serve alcohol.
For members-only or licensed-premises clubs, working-class clubs, sports clubs with a bar, and similar drinking establishments.
The default code for pubs, bars, taprooms, and other licensed drinking establishments. The most common UK hospitality SIC code by volume.
Frequently asked questions
Which SIC code should a UK pub register?
Pubs and bars in the UK register 56302 (Public houses and bars) as their primary SIC code. It is the default code for any licensed drinking establishment whose main activity is on-premises drink sales, with food usually secondary. Gastropubs that lead with food sometimes register 56101 (Licensed restaurants) instead, but the test is which activity is primary. Drink-led businesses use 56302; food-led businesses use 56101.
What's the difference between SIC codes 47110 and 47190?
47110 is for non-specialised stores where food, beverages, or tobacco make up the majority of sales, which captures most supermarkets, convenience stores, and corner shops. 47190 is for non-specialised retail where food is not the dominant category, such as department stores, discount retailers, and pound shops. The split is about what is predominantly on the shelves: mostly food and drink uses 47110, mostly something else uses 47190.
Do hotels and short-stay rentals use the same SIC code?
Not usually. Hotels, motels, and traditional paid accommodation register 55100 (Hotels and similar accommodation). Self-catering holiday lets, holiday parks, hostels, and short-term collective accommodation register 55209 (Other holiday and other collective accommodation). Companies operating Airbnb-style lets as their main activity typically register 55209. The distinction is the format: serviced rooms with daily housekeeping fall under 55100; self-contained or non-serviced accommodation falls under 55209.