NACE 47.2 – Retail Sale of Food, Beverages and Tobacco | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 47.2 covers the specialised retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in stationary retail premises – including bakeries, butcher's shops, fruit and vegetable shops and specialist beverage retailers. In public procurement, this group plays a central role in catering for schools, hospitals, care homes and other public facilities.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 47.2 cover?

NACE 47.2 (Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores) classifies companies offering specialised food products in stationary stores — from artisanal bakeries through butchers to wine merchants and tobacco specialists.

Group 47.2 within Section G (Trade) and Division 47 (Retail trade) is divided into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 47.2 are primarily schools, kindergartens, universities, hospitals, care facilities and municipal canteens that regularly procure fresh food and specialist products.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 47.2

Food deliveries are among the recurring procurement transactions of public facilities — school catering, hospital kitchens and government canteens generate substantial annual contract volumes in the food sector.

Typical contract types

• Fresh produce delivery for community catering: Fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat for school kitchens, refectory operations and canteens of public facilities
• Bakery and confectionery products: Supply of baked goods, breads and fine pastries for canteens, care homes and care facilities
• Catering and meal services: Framework agreements for out-of-home catering in schools, day nurseries and authorities
• Organic and regional products: Procurement of certified organic food under municipal sustainability programmes
• Beverage supply: Supply of mineral water, fruit juices and hot beverages for offices, meeting rooms and facilities
• Special diets: Procurement of dietary food for hospitals and care facilities

Thresholds and procedure types

Food deliveries as supply contracts are subject to the EU threshold (EUR 221,000 for central contracting authorities, as of 2024/2025). Since many food procurements at municipal level fall below this threshold, national procedures are particularly relevant. For regular deliveries, framework agreements with one to four bidders for terms of two to four years are frequently concluded.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 47.2

The bridge between NACE classification and tender search is formed by CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary), which must be stated in every EU-wide notice on TED.

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 47.2 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

Community catering facilities — schools, universities, hospitals, care homes and government canteens — are the decisive contracting authorities in the food sector. In Austria, the Federal Procurement Agency (BBG) plays a coordinating role in central food framework agreements for federal bodies. In Germany, school operators (districts, cities) and municipal in-house entities coordinate school catering. Hospitals in public ownership frequently tender fresh produce contracts through multi-year framework agreements.

Companies and bidders

Food retailers, wholesalers and food producers under NACE 47.2 typically must provide the following suitability evidence for public tenders:

• Food-law authorisation: Registration under EU food hygiene law (Regulation (EC) 852/2004), veterinary authorisation for meat and fish dealers
• HACCP concept: Evidence of a functioning Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system
• References: Evidence of comparable supply contracts with public or private contracting authorities (e.g. canteens, restaurants, homes)
• Logistics and cold chain: Evidence of refrigerated transport capacity, supply reliability and warehousing
• Organic certifications: Organic control body certificate for tenders with an organic share (e.g. under EU Organic Regulation 2018/848)
• Economic and financial capacity: Annual turnover evidence, creditworthiness reports

For larger delivery volumes, joint bidders between retailers and logistics service providers are common practice.

NACE 47.2 in context: Section G and Division 47

NACE 47.2 is part of Division 47 (Retail trade) within Section G (Trade) — with a strong link to food processing (Section C) and community catering (I).

• NACE G – Trade: Parent section covering all trade activities
• NACE 47 – Retail trade: Division covering all stationary retail
• NACE 47.1 – Retail sale in non-specialised stores: Supermarkets and department stores
• NACE 47.8 – Retail sale via stalls and markets: Weekly markets, market stalls

Frequently asked questions on NACE 47.2 and public tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 47.2?
Specialist food retailers such as butchers, bakeries, fruit shops, fishmongers, delicatessens and specialist beverage retailers. The decisive factor is the focus of the economic activity on specialised food.

How do I find current tenders for food deliveries?
EU-wide tenders are available on TED by CPV search (e.g. 15000000 for general food, 15300000 for fruit and vegetables). National sub-threshold tenders can be found on municipal procurement portals and school operator platforms.

Which food regulations must bidders comply with?
Bidders must comply with EU food hygiene regulations (Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and 853/2004) and operate a demonstrated HACCP system. For organic contracts, organic certification under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 is required.

Can regional producers participate directly in school catering tenders?
Yes, particularly for contracts tendered nationally or locally. Many municipalities explicitly use regionality as an award criterion. Smaller producers can join in joint bidders to cover larger delivery volumes.

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.