Variant of NAICS 2002 - Retail Trade and Wholesale Trade

Additional information

Trade groups are defined for Wholesale Trade (NAICS Sector 41) and for Retail Trade (NAICS Sectors 44-45) and are a variant of NAICS industries within those sectors. The groupings reflect the needs of users and provide greater continuity of time series. Trade groups, in various forms, have existed since the 1980s.

Trade groups each comprise one or more entire 5-digit (hence also 6-digit) NAICS classes. Trade groups are mutually exclusive and exhaustive of the classes within the Wholesale and Retail Trade Sectors of NAICS.

Trade groups are aggregated into Trade Group Sectors. Trade Group Sectors are aggregated into NAICS Sectors. The Trade Group Sectors relating to Wholesale Trade aggregate to NAICS Sector 41 Wholesale Trade. The Trade Group Sectors relating to Retail Trade aggregate to NAICS Sectors 44-45 Retail Trade.

At the NAICS subsector (3-digit level), all classes concord to Trade Group Sectors on a one-to-one or many-to-one basis.

At the NAICS industry group (4-digit) level, a number of the classes are split apart in the creation of Trade groups (and therefore relate to Trade groups on a one-to-many or many-to-many basis). In Wholesale Trade, the splits reflect (1) grouping non-alcoholic beverages with food, (2) isolating pharmaceuticals, (3) isolating lumber and millwork, and (4) grouping the residual machinery and equipment category with machinery and equipment. In Retail Trade, the splits reflect: (1) isolating new cars, (2) isolating computers, (3) isolating home centres and hardware stores, (4) isolating supermarkets, and (5) grouping clothing accessories with other accessory-type items.

Trade groups use a three-digit numeric code. Trade Group Sectors use a 1-digit alphabetic code.