SIC code 5242 — Retail sale of clothing — is a specialist classification with 1 active companies in the UK. Despite its small size, this category represents an important part of the wholesale and retail trade sector. It falls under Section G (Wholesale and retail trade) 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 Retail sale of clothing industry page.
The retail sale of clothing sector shows high turnover: only 1% of the 82 companies ever registered under this code remain active. A 99% dissolution rate is significantly above the UK average, suggesting challenging market conditions or frequent business restructuring in this sector. With an average age of 128.0 years, companies in this sector tend to be well-established. This maturity reflects high barriers to entry and strong business continuity among surviving firms. This is a mature sector with deep roots: 100% of active companies were established before 1990. While 0% of companies formed since 2020, the sector's backbone consists of long-established businesses.
SIC code 5242 stands for "Retail sale of clothing" under the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) system. It belongs to Section G — Wholesale and retail trade. 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 1 active companies registered under SIC code 5242 in the UK, out of 82 total registrations. This gives a survival rate of 1%, meaning 99% of companies registered under this code have since dissolved. These figures are based on Companies House data and updated regularly.
Formation rates for SIC 5242 have been moderate: 0% of active companies formed since 2020, compared to 0% in the 2010s. The sector appears stable, with a balanced mix of established and newer businesses.
Companies classified under SIC 5242 have an average age of 128.0 years. This indicates a mature sector where businesses tend to operate long-term.
Related SIC codes within the same division include: 52290 (Other transportation support activities), 52103 (Operation of warehousing and storage facilities for land transport activities), 52219 (Other service activities incidental to land transportation, n.e.c.), 52230 (Service activities incidental to air transportation). 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 5242 (Retail sale of clothing) 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 1 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.