Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet: UK companies
166,920 live UK companies list retail sale via mail order houses or via internet as their main trade, or 2.9% of the register. It ranks 4th among the 60 trades we cover. 43,127 of those companies were formed in 2025, against 1,993 still live from 2015. 18,232 (10.9%) have a proposal to strike off on file, above the UK figure of 7.3%.
Where they're registered
Where this trade is unusually common
The town's share of this trade, compared with its share of all UK companies.
By year formed
Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.
20122026
See every year as a table
| Year | Live companies |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,155 |
| 2013 | 1,387 |
| 2014 | 1,543 |
| 2015 | 1,993 |
| 2016 | 2,171 |
| 2017 | 2,669 |
| 2018 | 3,606 |
| 2019 | 4,721 |
| 2020 | 7,329 |
| 2021 | 7,715 |
| 2022 | 7,525 |
| 2023 | 12,434 |
| 2024 | 17,354 |
| 2025 | 43,127 |
| 2026 | 47,160 |
Oldest active companies in this trade
- Lruk (holdings)Formed 1909
- Lruk (retail)Formed 1910
- Givan's Irish Linen StoresFormed 1915
- Salvationist Publishing and SuppliesFormed 1917
- J.d. Williams & CompanyFormed 1921
Related by size
- Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
- Buying and selling of own real estate
- Management consultancy activities other than financial management
- Information technology consultancy activities
- Development of building projects
- Business and domestic software development
Trade means the first Standard Industrial Classification code (SIC 47910) a company declares. Companies choose their own codes. Figures come from Companies House on 1 November 2026.