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Co-op Food

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Co-operative Group Limited (Food)
Co-op
Company typeGroceries retailer
Founded23 July 1850
HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
Number of locations
2,564 (2022)[1]
RevenueIncrease £7.8 billion (2022)[1]
Decrease £139 million (2022)[1]
OwnerThe Co-operative Group
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Co-op is a UK supermarket chain and the brand used for the food retail business of The Co-operative Group, one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives. As the UK’s fifth largest food retailer, Co-op operates nearly 2,400 food stores. It also supplies products to over 6,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies, through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.[2][3]

Co-op is owned by millions of UK consumers and employs 56,000 people, with an annual turnover of more than £11 billion. The organisation is known for its involvement in social and community programmes.[2]

Before reintroducing the Co-op brand in 2016, the group used "The Co-operative" branding, which some consumers' co-operative societies in the UK continue to use, while others have adopted their own branding.

In 2024, Co-op introduced a new brand platform, "Owned by You. Right By You." This was developed in response to findings that over 50% of consumers did not fully understand the concept of a co-operative or mutual business.[2]

Operations

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Co-op self-service grocers in London ca 1950.
Co-op supermarket in Kirton, Lincolnshire in 1995.
Co-op supermarket in Ackworth, West Yorkshire in 1990s–2000s branding.
A Co-operative Food shop in Lawnswood, Leeds with pre 2016 branding.

The "Co-op" brand is used by over 3,500 shops owned by various societies which make up the co-operative movement, including the Central England Co-operative. A number of co-operative societies including Scotmid and the Lincolnshire Co-operative prefer to use the 1992 'cloverleaf version' of The Co-operative brand. In May 2016, The Co-operative Group reverted to the use of its 1968 Co-op cloverleaf branding.[4]

In March 2009, The Co-operative Group acquired the Somerfield supermarket retailer for £1.57bn from a group of private equity investors. The Somerfield Head Office in Bristol was subsequently closed and the grocery stores were either sold to rivals or integrated into its own Co-op Food division. In 2016, The Co-operative Group sold 298 smaller convenience stores to McColl's.

The majority of products sold in "Co-op Food" shops are sourced collectively through Federal Retail Trading Services although stocking decisions and pricing are determined by the individual businesses.

List of UK Co-operatives with food retail operations

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Though often considered to be one supermarket business, The Co-operative Food is a network of supermarkets and convenience shops owned and operated by over 15 independent co-operative societies, many of which have adopted the 2008 version of The Co-operative brand. In total there are over 4,000 co-operative food shops in the UK. The table below indicates how many food shops each co-operative society operates.

Co-operative Society Number of Outlets Version of The Co-operative brand
The Co-operative Group 2,774 2016 cloverleaf
Central England Co-operative 261 ICA logo
The Midcounties Co-operative 234 ICA logo
Southern Co-operative 213 own version
Scotmid 206 ICA logo
East of England Co-operative Society 132 own version
Lincolnshire Co-operative 93 1993 cloverleaf
Chelmsford Star Co-operative 42 ICA logo [5]
Heart of England Co-operative 33 2008 version
Channel Islands Co-operative Society 26 ICA logo
Radstock Co-operative Society 16 own version
Tamworth Co-operative Society 12 2008 version
Clydebank Co-operative Society 6 1993 cloverleaf
Allendale Co-operative Society 1 own version
Coniston Co-op 1 own version / 1993 cloverleaf
Grosmont Co-operative Society 1 own version

Work with Amazon

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In 2021, the Co-op started selling food online through Amazon, using robots to deliver groceries. The move was criticised by the GMB union, which has been campaigning for improved worker rights at Amazon.[6]

Distribution

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A Co-op food truck outside a store in Cockfosters

Co-op Supply Chain Logistics is the distribution business of The Co-operative Group that manages the national and international distribution of goods on behalf of all the food retailing co-operative societies who are members of Co-operative Federal Retail Trading Services. The Co-operative Group manages all of its own warehouses and most of its own transport operations, although several distribution centres use third party logistics partners to manage their transport operations. Supply Chain Logistics Head Office is co-located at the Birtley Distribution Centre.

Co-op Supply Chain Logistics has 9 regional distribution centres (RDCs) and 3 smaller local service centres (LSCs) servicing the outer extremities of the UK. The Coventry-based National Distribution Centre (NDC) supplies all distribution centres with slower moving ambient lines and tobacco.

Depot Name Location Products Transport Operation
Birtley RDC Birtley, County Durham Ambient, Frozen (picked in Newhouse), Chilled, Meat and Produce Co-op SCL
Andover RDC & Frozen Hub Andover, Hampshire Ambient, Frozen, Chilled, Meat and Produce GXO Logistics
Avonmouth RDC Avonmouth, Bristol Ambient, Frozen (picked in Andover), Chilled, Meat and Produce GXO Logistics
Castlewood RDC Mansfield, Derbyshire Ambient, Frozen (picked in Lea Green), Chilled, Meat and Produce Co-op SCL
Lea Green RDC & Frozen Hub St Helens, Merseyside Ambient, Frozen, Chilled, Meat and Produce GXO Logistics
Newhouse RDC & Frozen Hub Lanarkshire, Scotland Ambient, Frozen, Chilled, Meat and Produce Co-op SCL
Thurrock RDC West Thurrock, Essex Ambient, Frozen (picked in Biggleswade), Chilled, Meat and Produce Co-op SCL
Biggleswade RDC & Frozen Hub Biggleswade, Bedfordshire Ambient, Frozen, Chilled, Meat and Produce Co-op SCL
Coventry NDC Coventry, West Midlands Slow Moving Ambient and Tobacco Eddie Stobart
Dalcross LSC Inverness, Scotland Local service centre for Northern Scotland Co-op SCL
Carrickfergus LSC County Antrim, Northern Ireland Local service centre for Northern Ireland Co-op SCL
Plymouth LSC Plymouth, Devon Local service centre for South Western England Co-op SCL
Wellingborough RDC Wellingborough, Northamptonshire Ambient, Frozen (picked in Biggleswade), Chilled, Meat and Produce Wincanton

Membership

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Members of The Co-operative Group and participating regional societies earn one membership point for every £1 spent at The Co-operative Food. Points are converted into dividend at a rate agreed annually by the Board.[7]

In September 2016, The Co-operative Group launched a new membership, decreasing the amount members earn from 5% to 2%, and increasing the amount spent on charity from 1% to 2%.

In July 2024, The Co-operative rebranded their slogan to "Owned By You. Right By You", placing greater emphasis on member ownership.[8]

Product ranges

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Co-op Food ranges currently are (as of September 2023):

  • Co-op – standard own brand range
  • Irresistible – premium food and drink
  • Free From – suitable for customers with food allergies
  • Gro – Plant-based own brand range
  • Honest Value – Low price range

Co-op Food ranges formerly were:

  • Loved By Us – standard own brand range
  • Truly Irresistible – premium food and drink
  • Home Baking – home baking range
  • Simply Value – low price range

In November 2020, the "Honest Value" range was launched as a lower priced range.[9]

Animal welfare

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Co-op receives frequent media coverage around animal abuse within its supply chain. In February 2021, undercover footage taken at a salmon supplier for the Co-op showed fish being incorrectly stunned with many killed while fully conscious. The Co-op suspended the supplier.[10]

In July 2021, an investigation into three chicken farms in the Co-op supply chain found birds had died of thirst while carcasses were left to rot among the living. Chickens crammed into "filthy, overcrowded" sheds resorted to cannibalism, and many suffered ammonia burns.[11]

In August 2022, workers were caught abusing ducks at an intensive farm producing eggs for the Co-op. Birds were swung by the necks and bins were filled with dead ducks.[12]

In July 2023, footage emerged showing chickens being crushed to death and run over at a Lincolnshire farm that supplies the Co-op. It also appeared to show the birds struggling with severe injuries, while one can be seen crawling across the floor with broken legs.[13]

In August 2023, chickens were found "collapsing in agony, deformed and dying" at multiple farms supplying the Co-op. The footage captured birds panting from heat and stress, while dirty floors left the birds lying in their own waste.[14]

In December 2023, it was reported that ducks destined for Co-op and other British supermarkets had been swung by the necks and slammed into draws. A video showed workers mistreating animals in an intensive farm.[15]

In February 2024, a BBC investigation found 37% of chickens sold by Co-op had chemical burns caused by ammonia in excrement. They described the situation as "a sign of poorer welfare on farms".[16]

Delivery robots

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Delivery robots outside of a co-op store

Starting in March 2020 Starship Technologies delivery robots can deliver goods directly to customers from stores in Cambourne, Milton Keynes and Leeds areas of the UK.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Co-op Annual Report & Accounts for 2022" (PDF). Co-op Group. p. 22. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Can the UK become a nation of co-operators? - Co-op unveils bold new brand platform". www.co-operative.coop. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Who we are". www.co-operative.coop. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  4. ^ "About Us", Co-operative.coop, retrieved 23 May 2016
  5. ^ Bennett, Kev (6 September 2023). "International Co-op logo comes to our food stores". Chelmsford Star Co-operative.
  6. ^ "Co-op faces criticism as it begins selling groceries via Amazon". The Guardian. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  7. ^ The Co-operative Membership The Co-operative Group (retrieved 20 August 2009)
  8. ^ "VCCP London - Co-op 'Owned By You, Right By You'". VCCP London. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  9. ^ Hegarty, Ronan (21 October 2020). "Co-op cuts branded and own-label prices and adds new Honest Value range". The Grocer.
  10. ^ "Waitrose and the Co-op confirm they've suspended supplies from Western Isles salmon supplier, Scottish Salmon Company". 13 February 2021.
  11. ^ Dalton, Jane (31 July 2021). "Chickens died of thirst and dead birds left to rot at suppliers to Tesco, Sainsbury, Lidl and KFC". The Independent. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  12. ^ "New Duck Farm Investigation Reveals Abuse, Gaps in Biosecurity Protocols". 9 August 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  13. ^ Farhoud, Nada; Mann, Sebastian (20 June 2023). "Chickens 'crushed to death' on Lincs farm that supplies Tesco". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  14. ^ Dalton, Jane (6 August 2023). "Secret footage reveals chickens collapsing in agony at farms supplying 'ethical' retailer Co-op". The Independent. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  15. ^ Dalton, Jane (24 December 2023). "Ducks destined for Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury swung by necks and slammed into drawers in 'harrowing' video". The Independent. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Millions of store chickens suffer burns from excrement". BBC News. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  17. ^ Farrell, Steve (1 April 2019). "Co-op expands robot deliveries to second store". The Grocer. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  18. ^ Ingham, Lucy (16 March 2020). "Robot delivery service comes to first UK town centre". Verdict. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Milton Keynes now has 'world's largest autonomous robot fleet' as Starship expand further". Starship Technologies (Press release). Retrieved 6 November 2020 – via MKFM.
  20. ^ "Robot supermarket delivery trial in Cambridgeshire". BBC News. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Robot grocery delivery service to expand in Northamptonshire". BBC News. 15 July 2022.
  22. ^ Dempsey, Michael (8 August 2022). "Are we falling in love with robots?". BBC News.
  23. ^ Events, UKi Media & (1 December 2022). "Starship and Co-op to provide autonomous grocery deliveries in Leeds". Parcel and Postal Technology International. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
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