SIC code 46342 classifies businesses engaged in wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages. There are 5,273 active companies registered under this code in the UK, forming a substantial sector within the national economy. It falls under Section G (Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles) of the UK SIC 2007 classification system, which is used by Companies House to categorise all registered businesses.
See the full industry analysis on the Wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages industry page.
With a 87% survival rate, this sector shows strong business longevity. Only 32 of 6,060 companies registered under this code have dissolved, well below the UK average. Companies in this sector average 8.9 years old, reflecting a balanced mix of established businesses and newer market participants. Growth has been exceptional recently: 58% of all active companies were formed since 2020, marking this as one of the fastest-expanding classifications. The 2010s contributed another 27%, meaning the vast majority of businesses are relatively new. The leading locations for this sector are LONDON (1,390), GLASGOW (164), EDINBURGH (83), which together account for 31% of active companies.
SIC code 46342 stands for "Wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages" under the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) system. It belongs to Section G — Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles. Companies use this code when registering with Companies House to indicate their primary business activity. The code is required for annual confirmation statements and is used by HMRC, ONS, and other government bodies for statistical and regulatory purposes.
There are currently 5,273 active companies registered under SIC code 46342 in the UK, out of 6,060 total registrations. This gives a survival rate of 87%, meaning 13% of companies registered under this code have since dissolved. These figures are based on Companies House data and updated regularly.
The top locations for wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages companies (SIC 46342) are: LONDON (1,390), GLASGOW (164), EDINBURGH (83), MANCHESTER (82), BIRMINGHAM (63). Geographic concentration can reflect local economic conditions, industry clusters, or proximity to key markets and supply chains.
The sector is growing: 58% of currently active SIC 46342 companies were formed since 2020, and 27% during the 2010s. This sustained formation rate indicates ongoing demand for wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages services in the UK.
Companies classified under SIC 46342 have an average age of 8.9 years. This suggests a balanced sector with both established players and newer entrants. Notable companies include LWC DRINKS LIMITED, MAJESTIC WINE WAREHOUSES LIMITED, ELLIS OF RICHMOND LIMITED.
Related SIC codes within the same division include: 46900 (Non-specialised wholesale trade), 46190 (Agents involved in the sale of a variety of goods), 46420 (Wholesale of clothing and footwear), 46160 (Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods). Companies may use multiple SIC codes if they operate across several of these related activities. When registering with Companies House, businesses should select the code that best represents their primary activity.
You can search for companies with SIC code 46342 (Wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages) using UVAGATRON's company explorer, which allows filtering by SIC code, location, and company status. Alternatively, Companies House offers a basic search on their website. Our platform adds risk intelligence, director networks, and signals from 50+ government databases to each company record.
Search, filter, and analyse 5,273 companies classified under this SIC code with AI-powered risk intelligence.
Data sourced from Companies House, HM Land Registry, FCA Register, and 50+ government databases. SIC classification follows the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007). Last updated: 2026-04-17.