CECAEN Rev 3
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Sections Correlation Guide About the Project Contact
Group 471

Non-specialised retail trade, predominantly selling non-food products

This category covers stores that sell everything, but mostly non-food products, from clothes and toys to electronics. Essentially, it refers to those general or mixed stores where you can find a bit of everything, but the focus is on non-edible items. If you run a 'general store' with shelves full of various articles, this is your code.

Included Activities & Applicability

  • ✅ Retail sale in a non-specialised store with a varied range of products
  • ✅ mainly non-food (e.g.
  • ✅ clothing
  • ✅ electronics
  • ✅ household items) Retail sale under the same conditions
  • ✅ but with a significant share of food products and beverages (if the sale of non-food products is predominant) Retail sale of second-hand goods in non-specialised stores

Excluded Activities & Restrictions

  • ❌ Specialised retail trade (e.g.
  • ❌ only clothes
  • ❌ only electronics) - included in the corresponding divisions (NACE 472-477) Retail sale of motor vehicles and fuel - included in divisions 45 and 47.30 Retail sale via mail order houses or the internet - included in NACE 47.91 Retail sale in markets (stalls) - included in NACE 47.81-47.82 Retail sale outside stores (ambulant) - included in NACE 47.89

Subordinate Structure

4711 Non-specialised retail sale predominantly of food, beverages and tobacco
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4712 Non-specialised retail sale predominantly of non-food products
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Detailed Analysis & Commercial Insights

Non-specialised Retail Trade, Predominantly Non-food Products

Non-specialised retail trade, predominantly selling non-food products, represents an important economic link in the Romanian commercial landscape, especially in rural areas and small town neighbourhoods, where general stores are often the only shopping option. Unlike large specialised retailers, these units offer a wide range of products, from textiles, footwear, toys, stationery, souvenirs to small appliances or household items, meeting diverse needs under one roof. In Romania, this activity has seen an interesting dynamic, with an increase in the number of small convenience stores that combine food and non-food products, but the non-food predominance is rarer in large cities, being more specific to localities with limited commercial offer.

At the macroeconomic level, this division contributes to smoothing consumption and covering basic demand but faces challenges from competition with specialised stores and large discount chains, which offer more competitive prices and a more coherent shopping experience. Additionally, entrepreneurs in this field must efficiently manage stocks, assortment diversity, and sales seasonality, given relatively low profit margins. Digitalisation and online commerce have a significant impact, forcing these small businesses to also develop an online presence or join networks to cope with competitive pressure. However, the advantage of proximity and personal relationships with customers remains a key element ensuring their long-term survival.