This publication presents the main findings of the Trade Establishments Survey – Large-sized Commercial Units for the year 2004.

The “Trade Establishments Survey” started in 1993, surveying Large-sized Food Retail Commercial Units – establishments with a total retail surface of 2 000 m2 or more, shortly followed by the inclusion of establishments with a total retail surface of 1 000 m2 or more, in case they originated in regions with less than 30 000 inhabitants (according to the law published on 26th April of 1995 - DL n. º 83/95 of 26th April).

Portuguese legislation regulating the licensing of trade establishments changed throughout time with the introduction of the definition of “Large-sized Commercial Units” – UCDR (DL n. º 218/97 of 20th August). The new definition implied that, for licensing purposes, not only the area of a single establishment should be considered but also the sum of the total areas of the establishments belonging to a company or enterprise group. Additionally, apart from the inclusion of food retail establishments, non-food retail establishments have been included as well, along with wholesale establishments. Data referring to the years 2000 and 2001 adopted the UCDR definition but the survey was discontinued in 2002.