Wholesale companies in the UK

On the register

Share of these companies on the live register, by status.

• Active 76%
• Proposal to strike off 22%
• In insolvency or administration 2%

New registrations

Companies registered each month, October 2025 – September 2026, that are still on the register. See registrations by month across all companies.

Company age

How long the active companies have been registered.

• Under 1 year 20%
• 1–3 years 23%
• 3–5 years 12%
• 5–10 years 19%
• 10–20 years 13%
• 20 years or more 14%

SIC codes in this industry

Active companies under each SIC code. Codes with fewer than 250 active companies don't have a page of their own.

• 46900 – Non-specialised wholesale trade 41,600
• 46190 – Agents involved in the sale of a variety of goods 20,200
• 46420 – Wholesale of clothing and footwear 15,000
• 46180 – Agents specialized in the sale of other particular products 9,040
• 46450 – Wholesale of perfume and cosmetics 8,580
• 46160 – Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods 8,170
• 46499 – Wholesale of household goods (other than musical instruments) n.e.c. 6,960
• 46520 – Wholesale of electronic and telecommunications equipment and parts 6,600
• 46342 – Wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages 6,540
• 46390 – Non-specialised wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco 6,290
• 46690 – Wholesale of other machinery and equipment 6,240
• 46410 – Wholesale of textiles 4,690
• 46310 – Wholesale of fruit and vegetables 4,470
• 46510 – Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment and software 4,410
• 46150 – Agents involved in the sale of furniture, household goods, hardware and ironmongery 4,380
• 46140 – Agents involved in the sale of machinery, industrial equipment, ships and aircraft 4,310
• 46460 – Wholesale of pharmaceutical goods 4,130
• 46370 – Wholesale of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices 4,120
• 46740 – Wholesale of hardware, plumbing and heating equipment and supplies 4,000
• 46380 – Wholesale of other food, including fish, crustaceans and molluscs 3,990
• 46730 – Wholesale of wood, construction materials and sanitary equipment 3,980
• 46760 – Wholesale of other intermediate products 3,940
• 46130 – Agents involved in the sale of timber and building materials 3,880
• 46170 – Agents involved in the sale of food, beverages and tobacco 3,590
• 46470 – Wholesale of furniture, carpets and lighting equipment 3,400
• 46320 – Wholesale of meat and meat products 3,290
• 46480 – Wholesale of watches and jewellery 3,190
• 46750 – Wholesale of chemical products 2,600
• 46341 – Wholesale of fruit and vegetable juices, mineral water and soft drinks 2,490
• 46720 – Wholesale of metals and metal ores 2,210
• 46770 – Wholesale of waste and scrap 2,000
• 46120 – Agents involved in the sale of fuels, ores, metals and industrial chemicals 1,990
• 46330 – Wholesale of dairy products, eggs and edible oils and fats 1,840
• 46610 – Wholesale of agricultural machinery, equipment and supplies 1,790
• 46360 – Wholesale of sugar and chocolate and sugar confectionery 1,540
• 46220 – Wholesale of flowers and plants 1,520
• 46110 – Agents selling agricultural raw materials, livestock, textile raw materials and semi-finished goods 1,490
• 46439 – Wholesale of radio, television goods & electrical household appliances (other than records, tapes, CD's & video tapes and the equipment used for playing them) 1,450
• 46210 – Wholesale of grain, unmanufactured tobacco, seeds and animal feeds 1,220
• 46719 – Wholesale of other fuels and related products 1,140
• 46620 – Wholesale of machine tools 1,090
• 46650 – Wholesale of office furniture 944
• 46711 – Wholesale of petroleum and petroleum products 912
• 46630 – Wholesale of mining, construction and civil engineering machinery 898
• 46660 – Wholesale of other office machinery and equipment 741
• 46440 – Wholesale of china and glassware and cleaning materials 696
• 46350 – Wholesale of tobacco products 493
• 46431 – Wholesale of audio tapes, records, CDs and video tapes and the equipment on which these are played 370
• 46230 – Wholesale of live animals 303
• 46240 – Wholesale of hides, skins and leather 271
• 46491 – Wholesale of musical instruments 252
• 46640 – Wholesale of machinery for the textile industry and of sewing and knitting machines 142

Where they're registered

Active companies by postcode area of their registered office.

• Manchester (M) 8,290
• East Central London (EC) 8,090
• West London (W) 7,510
• East London (E) 7,320
• West Central London (WC) 7,300
• North London (N) 6,950
• Birmingham (B) 6,260
• Harrow (HA) 4,220
• Belfast (BT) 3,780
• Coventry (CV) 3,400

Recently registered companies

Active wholesale companies registered recently.

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