Explanatory Notes — Product Coding Systems

Trade statistics are organized using various numerical coding systems. The longer the string of digits, the greater the degree of specificity of the commodity (product/good/merchandise).

One or two digit numbers represent greatly aggregated data for broad categories of commodities. Six, eight or ten digit numbers represent fairly specific commodities.

Many product coding systems exist or have been used in the past. But the two main systems in use today for compiling international trade statistics are the:

• Harmonised System (HS)
  The Harmonised System (HS) (used on this site) is more detailed and is used as the basis for customs administration (see Application of the Classification) in most countries. Canada and the United States both adopted it in 1988. It is revised periodically.
• Standard International Trade Classification (SITC)
  This is the classification system used by the United Nations for compiling and publishing international trade data. It is less detailed than the HS which it predates. It has been in vigor since the early 1950s and is occasionally revised. The most current version is revision 3. It is mainly used for a general analysis of world trade.

Because of different definitions, the trade data tabulated using the two coding systems are not directly comparable.

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