View source for British co-operative movement

{{Short description|Co-operative movement in the UK}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
The United Kingdom is home to a widespread and diverse '''co-operative movement''', with over 7,000 registered [[co-operative]]s owned by 17 million individual members and which contribute £34bn a year to the British economy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reports.uk.coop/economy2016/|title=Economy Report 2016 - Co-op Economy Report 2016|website=reports.uk.coop|access-date=8 April 2018|archive-date=27 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023343/http://reports.uk.coop/economy2016/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="uk.coop">{{cite web|url=http://www.uk.coop/sites/default/files/uploads/attachments/co-op_economy_2015.pdf|title=The Co-operative Economy 2015|publisher=Co-operatives UK|access-date=14 December 2015|archive-date=28 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928184925/http://www.uk.coop/sites/default/files/uploads/attachments/co-op_economy_2015.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Modern co-operation started with the [[Rochdale Pioneers|Rochdale Pioneers']] shop in the northern English town of [[Rochdale]] in 1844, though the history of co-operation in Britain can be traced back to before 1800. The British co-operative movement is most commonly associated with [[The Co-operative brand]] (best known for its [[Co-op Food|supermarket]] and [[The Co-operative Funeralcare|Funeralcare]] brands) which has been adopted by several large [[consumers' co-operative]] societies; however, there are many thousands of registered co-operative businesses operating in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co-operative.coop/fairtradetowns/The-Co-operative-difference/Co-operatives-explained/ |title=Join us for Fairtrade Fortnight! &#124; Our Ethics &#124; The Co-operative |publisher=Co-operative.coop |date=2015-01-26 |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620182836/http://www.co-operative.coop/fairtradetowns/The-Co-operative-difference/Co-operatives-explained/ |archive-date=20 June 2015}}</ref> Alongside these [[consumers' co-operatives]], there exist many prominent [[agricultural co-operatives]] (621), co-operative housing providers (619), health and social care cooperatives (111), cooperative schools (834), retail co-operatives, co-operatively run community energy projects, football supporters' trusts, [[credit unions]], and worker-owned businesses.<ref name="uk.coop"/>
[[Co-operatives UK]] is the central membership organisation for co-operative enterprise throughout the UK. This is a co-operative of co-operatives: a [[co-operative federation]]. Most kinds of co-operatives are eligible to join Co-operatives UK.
==Origins of the British co-operative movement==
Though the history of the co-operative movement in the UK is often traced back to the [[Rochdale Pioneers]] of 1844, the history of co-operation can be traced back much further. The origins of modern co-operatives owe their beginnings not simply to the extreme poverty faced by many in the 18th and 19th centuries, but also to the rapid social changes of urbanisation, the rising [[food prices]] which resulted from the marketisation of the economy and from the lack of political representation for the working class during this period. These factors led to a number of social changes including an increased focus on mutual businesses (notably co-operatives) in public discourse during this time and also to events such as the [[Swing Riots]] of 1830.<ref name="Building Co-operation 2013">Wilson, J. F., Webster, A. and Vorberg-Rugh, R. (2013) "Building Co-operation: A business history of The Co-operative Group", Oxford University Press, Oxford</ref> Early co-ops often focused on the provision of essential services (notably food) to members where the market was either unable to provide these services sufficiently or was considered unjust. Often the more successful co-ops were established around the trades which were experiencing the largest impact from the rapid industrialisation such as mining and weaving. This was likely due to the clearer direct benefits of membership and the solidarity of workers with a similar plight. The provision of food was a highly successful area for co-ops with many becoming involved in milling and baking bread. The Hull Anti-Mill Co-op, established in 1795 and which traded for a century, provides an example of such a successful society.<ref>{{cite news|author=Andrew Bibby |url=https://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/gallery/2014/jan/29/the-history-of-the-british-co-operative-movement-timeline |title=The history of the British co-operative movement - timeline &#124; Social Enterprise Network |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2015-09-04}}</ref>
===Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers===
[[File:Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers 1865 photograph.jpg|thumb|alt=1865 photograph of 13 of the Rochdale Pioneers, who in 1844 established the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers.|1865 photograph of 13 of the Rochdale Pioneers, who in 1844 established the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers.]]
[[File:Rochdale Pioneers Museum D 29 July 2017.jpg|alt=Photograph of the original Rochdale Pioneers shop, now home to the Rochdale Pioneers museum.|thumb|The original Rochdale Pioneers shop, now home to the Rochdale Pioneers museum.]]
Though many co-operative societies had been established by the 1840s many had not been successful with societies often suffering through financial maladministration or fraud owing to the very limited legislation surrounding such enterprises. During the boom times, when work in the factories was more fruitful, co-operative societies also had difficulty encouraging people to retain their membership owing to perception of its limited financial benefits. It became understood that some kind of economic benefit for membership was required alongside the educational and social benefits. It was the implementation of the [[patronage dividend]] and the formalisation of the [[Rochdale Principles]] which led to the success of the [[Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers]] which was established in December 1844, a business which continues to this day as a part of [[The Co-operative Group]]. The Rochdale Pioneers society became highly successful with 1,400 members in 1855 and the co-op expanded further, after opening additional stores, to have 5,560 members by 1870. This success encouraged a boom in co-operatives in the following decades across the UK, but predominately across the industrial heartlands of northern England.<ref name="Building Co-operation 2013"/>
By 1860 there were more than 200 co-ops in the north west of England which were running in a similar manner to the Rochdale society. Private shopkeepers became resentful of the competition which they were experiencing from these new co-operative stores, often as they saw the dividend as an unfair competitive advantage, and so some powerful shopkeepers lobbied for wholesalers to stop supplying these new co-operative societies. Though few such boycotts actually occurred, this threat worried many people in the co-operative movement and so they endeavoured to create a co-operative wholesaler to supply at least some key products to co-operative stores. The [[Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1862]] enabled co-operative societies to invest in other co-operative societies, in effect permitting [[co-operative federation]]s. Following this the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Industrial and Provident Society Limited, later renamed the [[The Co-operative Group|Co-operative Wholesale Society]] (CWS) was launched in [[Manchester]] by 300 individual co-operatives in [[Yorkshire]] and [[Lancashire]] during 1863.<ref name="co-operative1">{{cite web |url=http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/1862/ |title=1862 |publisher=Co-operative.coop |date=2008-03-28 |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205339/http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/1862/ |archive-date=23 September 2015}}</ref> The Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society was founded in 1868.<ref name="Building Co-operation 2013"/>
==Consumers' co-operatives (retail and food)==
<span id="Consumers' Co-operatives"></span><span id="Food"></span>
The largest and most recognised part of the UK movement are the many [[consumers' co-operative]]s. They are [[cooperative|co-operative]] businesses run for the benefit of their customer members. Of these co-operatives, the largest sector is food retailing, though they have a significant presence in other sectors such as travel agencies and [[funeral director]]s.
The late 20th and early 21st centuries have seen a gradual exit by these businesses from the non-food retailing market.
[[File:Grosmont,_near_Whitby_..._Co_-_op_and_post_office._(5772418815).jpg|thumb|The [[Grosmont, North Yorkshire|Grosmont]] Co-operative Society remains an independent co-op store.]]
Many co-operatives (by convention known as co-operative societies) started out in a single village, town or city usually with just a single store. Here, members would be customers of the society's trading location and the society would reward these members with a proportion of any profits based on that member's spending with the society, or a [[dividend]]. This is a fundamental difference between a co-operative and a [[joint stock company]].
Most societies were small, and by 1900, there were 1,439 co-operatives covering virtually every area of the UK.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.cooponline.coop/about_intro_milestones.html
|title=UK Co-op Milestones
|access-date=2008-08-13
|work=Co-op Online
|publisher=[[The Co-operative Group]]
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080611160301/http://www.cooponline.coop/about_intro_milestones.html |archive-date = 11 June 2008}}</ref>
Gradually, many societies expanded by opening further stores or by merging with a neighbouring society. Today, there is one dominant, national society, [[The Co-operative Group]], and a number of large regional co-operative societies such as [[Central England Co-operative]], the [[Midcounties Co-operative]] and [[Scotmid]]. Many of these large co-operative societies have businesses in a number of sectors, are led by their values principles and owned by their members. Membership is open to everyone and alongside being democratically involved in the decision making of the societies, every year members receive a share of the profits based on the amount made in profits that year and the how much they had spent with any of its businesses. In the case of [[The Co-operative Group]], the society has over four million members and 3,600 trading outlets for its family of business which comprises [[Co-operative Food|groceries]], [[Co-operative Insurance|insurance]], funerals, legal services and health. In contrast to these large regional or national societies, some have remained with a single store such as [[Shepley Co-operative Society|Shepley Co-op]], Grosmont Co-op, Coniston Co-op and Allendale Co-op.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
The decline, through mergers, of single shop co-operatives, was reversed by two trends.
Firstly, around 170 community owned shops were established since 1979, many of which are co-operatives.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.virsa.org/index.cfm/villageshop/Directory.Home#NorthWest
|title=Directory of community owned shops in England, Scotland and Wales
|author=Village Retail Services Association
|access-date=2008-08-13
|publisher=[[Plunkett Foundation]]
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831050843/http://www.virsa.org/index.cfm/villageshop/Directory.Home#NorthWest
|archive-date=31 August 2008
|author-link=Village Retail Services Association
}}</ref>
Secondly, the United States [[food co-operative]] movement was replicated in the UK:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/health/ocmo/cmo-news/food-co-ops?lang=en |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080114012102/http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/health/ocmo/cmo%2Dnews/food%2Dco%2Dops?lang%3Den |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 January 2008 |title=Community Food Co-ops go from strength to strength |author=Chief Medical Officer for Wales |publisher=[[Welsh Assembly Government]] |date=29 January 2007 |access-date=2008-08-13 |author-link=Chief Medical Officer for Wales }}</ref> some of the independent food co-operatives established in the late 20th and early 21st centuries operate shops.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bristollocalfood.co.uk/?p=52
|title=Food For All, Hartcliffe Food Co-op
|author=DR
|publisher=Bristol [[Friends of the Earth]]
|date=27 April 2006
|access-date=2008-08-13
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.boscombewholefoodco-op.org.uk/
|title=Boscombe Wholefood Co-operative
|access-date=2008-08-13
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820065854/http://www.boscombewholefoodco-op.org.uk/
|archive-date=20 August 2008
}}</ref>
===History of the British consumer co-operative movement===
[[File:Co-op_poster,_Town,_Beamish_Museum,_26_November_2006_(1).jpg|thumb|An advert for CWS candles]]
By 1860 there were more than 200 co-ops in the north west of England which were running in a similar manner to the Rochdale society. Private shopkeepers became resentful of the competition which they were experiencing from these new co-operative stores, often as they saw the dividend as an unfair competitive advantage, and so some powerful shopkeepers lobbied for wholesalers to stop supplying these new co-operative societies. Though few such boycotts actually occurred, this threat worried many people in the co-operative movement and so they endeavoured to create a co-operative wholesaler to supply at least some key products to co-operative stores. The North of England Co-operative Wholesale Industrial and Provident Society Limited, later renamed the [[The Co-operative Group|Co-operative Wholesale Society]] (CWS) was launched in [[Manchester]] by 300 individual co-operatives in [[Yorkshire]] and [[Lancashire]] during 1863.<ref name="co-operative1"/> The Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society was founded in 1868. The CWS grew rapidly and supplied produce to co-operative stores across England, competing fiercely for trade from co-operative societies with other non-co-operative wholesalers which led to the CWS becoming highly innovative. By 1890 the CWS had established significant branches in [[Leeds]], [[Blackburn]], [[Bristol]], [[Nottingham]] and [[Huddersfield]] alongside a number of factories which produced biscuits ([[Manchester]]), Boots ([[Leicester]]), Soap ([[Durham, England|Durham]]) and textiles ([[Batley]]). This rapid expansion continued so that by the outbreak of [[World War I]] the CWS had major offices in the United States, Denmark, Australia and a [[tea]] plantation in India.
Many, fiercely local, societies saw the CWS as a valuable supplier but did not want to exclusively purchase produce from a single source. In order to increase loyalty to the CWS, they started to assist the local retail societies in more ways than simply as a wholesaler. The CWS Bank, the precursor to [[The Co-operative Bank]], financed loans for societies to use for expansion through purchasing new buildings, land or new equipment. After the acquisition of the [[The Co-operative Insurance|Co-operative Insurance Society]] in 1913, the CWS also provided insurance services to members and the CWS also began providing [[The Co-operative Legal Services|legal services]] – all business which remain today. It was hoped that these financial ties, as well as the CWS corporate dividend, would increase loyalty to the CWS. During [[World War II]] [[rationing]] led to an effective pause in any major changes to the co-operative movement in the UK with the CWS becoming highly involved in sourcing overseas goods for UK consumers and manufacturing wartime goods. Following the war there was some attempt to modernise the co-operative stores. After the London Co-operative Society opened its first self-service shop in 1942 the co-operative movement led the way on the development of self-service stores to the point where, by the 1950s, 90% of self-service shops in the UK were run by co-operatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/19011950/ |title=1901 – 1950 |publisher=Co-operative.coop |date=2008-03-28 |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104185939/http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/aboutus/ourhistory/19011950/ |archive-date=4 January 2016}}</ref> Despite this the market share and the number of members of the society began to dwindle and - importantly - so did the member share capital which societies used to invest. The CWS responded with an operational facelift in 1968 which introduced the [[The Co-operative brand|first national co-operative branding]], the 'Co-op' cloverleaf. Though this led to some improvements the movement (including the CWS) remained largely unreformed with its grocery market share continuing its downward trend.<ref name=myners /> It was also suggested around this time that societies merge to form regional societies to improve their competitiveness through the [[economies of scale]]. Many local co-op societies strongly resisted such mergers but, as their financial situation declined, many were forced to merge to create regional societies or with either the CRS or the SCWS to avoid failing. Consolidation within the movement was considerable and in 1973 serious financial mismanagement of the SCWS Bank led to the SCWS and the CWS merging to form a single UK-wide wholesale society.
The co-operative movement's market share and profitability continued to decline during the 1970s and 80s in part due to a number of reasons. Firstly the process of [[de-industrialisation]] which characterised the period led to serious economic difficulties in many of the movements heartlands (notably the northern industrial towns) which disproportionally impacted on the societies through a decrease in [[consumer spending]] despite the British economy seeing a rise in consumer disposable income overall. This was largely due to the strong increase in inequality in the UK at this time and the co-operative movement was not well placed to tap into this increase in middle class spending due to the geographic spread of its stores and the co-op's historic association as the shop for the 'working poor'. Secondly redevelopment projects in many cities between the 1950s and 1970s often moved people from rows of terraced housing (which featured co-op stores dotted throughout) to newer purpose-built estates, with around 18,000 co-op stores closing as they become redundant in this way. Thirdly the time was a period of notable [[inflation]] and a strong pound which led to a wave of cheap imported goods – this devastated much of the UKs manufacturing businesses (including the CWS). By the 1980s it became clear that the trend in the retail sector was towards large (often out of town) supermarkets and [[hypermarkets]] with hundreds of them appearing across the UK. The co-operative movement did build some superstores, having 74 by 1986, but often their development and competitiveness was hindered by the lack of a national distribution network and price competitiveness.
During the 1980s financial troubles and an increasing number of co-operative societies led to the CWS began rescuing many of these (after the CRS began to struggle financially from the number of failing co-ops that it had merged with), the CWS having returned to direct retailing after its merger with the SCWS the decade before. It was these mergers with consumers' co-operatives which led to the co-op having both corporate (co-op societies) and individual members and hence making it both a primary and [[secondary co-operative]].<ref name=myners>{{cite web |last=Myners |first=Paul |title=Report of the Independent Governance Review |url=http://www.co-operative.coop/PageFiles/989348879/Report_of_the_Independent_Governance_Review.pdf |publisher=Co-operative Group |date=7 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529055105/http://www.co-operative.coop/PageFiles/989348879/Report_of_the_Independent_Governance_Review.pdf |archive-date=29 May 2015}}</ref> The CWS's expansion into direct retailing (especially after the mergers of the 2000s) led to the CWS becoming such a highly visible business in the UK. The legacy of this was that many people consider the British co-operative movement to be one business, [[The Co-operative Group]].<ref name="Building Co-operation 2013" />
By the start of the 1990s the co-operative movement's share of the UK grocery market had declined to the point where the entire business model was under question. This was at a time where many [[building society|building societies]] were demutualising as many of the public preferred the short-term financial gain of the windfall payment over the perceived lack of benefits from the mutual model. For a time it seemed as though the mutual or co-op model was almost dead – though around the [[2008 financial crisis]] almost all of the demutualised building societies either failed or were forced to merge with a larger bank for support reigniting much debate on the virtues of the mutual and co-op models. The co-op's reputation was not helped in this respect by the factions within the movement, notably the strong rivalry between the [[Co-operative Retail Services|CRS]] and the CWS, acting in a manner which exacerbated the belief held by many members of the public that, rather than working for the interests of all members, co-ops were largely acting in the self-interests of a dominant 'clique' of members within each society. Together these crises meant that the 1990s would become a crucial decade if 'The Co-op' was to survive. In order to raise capital to invest in its food stores (and also the increasingly successful The Co-operative Bank) the CWS sold many of its factories to [[Andrew Regan]] in 1994 for £111 million before in 1997 he posed a highly ambitious £1.2bn hostile takeover attempt of the CWS. This shocked many in the movement and consolidated support for the CWS as the 'linchpin' of the movement in a way that many had previous opposed. The CWS was able to defend itself from this takeover bid and after investigations by a private detective and a subsequent criminal court case, Regan's bid was rejected and two senior CWS executives were dismissed and imprisoned for fraud. An arrest warrant was issued for Andrew Regan in 1999 however he had already emigrated to [[Monaco]].
The shock that Mr Regan's bid sent through the co-operative movement has been attributed with sowing the seeds for the merger of the CRS and the CWS in 1999.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/670302.stm |title=Co-op merger approved |publisher=BBC |date=8 March 2000 |access-date=20 September 2012}}</ref> The merger took two years to complete and the launch of the newly combined business, named The Co-operative Group, was timed with the release of the 2001 [[Co-operative Commission]] report, chaired by [[John Monks]], which proposed a strategy of modernisation which focused on improving store design and building a consistent [[The Co-operative brand|branding]] whilst also driving for efficiency savings to make the food business more competitive - the similarity in conclusions between the 1919, 1958 and 2001 reports highlights the distinct lack of progress within the movement during this time. The 2001 report also highlighted the need to market what it called 'The Co-operative Advantage' which suggested that commercial success would provide the funding for the social goals of the movement which (when the public saw a tangible benefit to their own lives) would provide a competitive advantage to the co-op which would further its commercial success - a virtuous cycle. Unlike Gaitskell Commission's 1958 report the recommendations of the report, notably the major update to "The Co-operative brand" and the re-launch of the membership dividend scheme, were largely adopted by the co-operative movement including The Co-operative Group. These changes to the business are largely credited with the successes in profitability and the achievement in social goals which improved in the years after the Co-operative Commission report.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/News/newsArchive/2005/commissionSuccess |title=Commission Paves the Way for Co-operative Success |date=13 June 2005 |agency=Ethos public relations |publisher=Co-operatives UK |access-date=14 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416084349/http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/News/newsArchive/2005/commissionSuccess |archive-date=16 April 2008 }}</ref>
This is not to say that modernisation of the CWS had not been under way for some time. Since 1993 the CRTG had been working to switch the role of the CWS from 'selling to' to 'buying for' co-operative societies as a way of maximising the [[economies of scale]] to become more competitive to the major supermarkets. Since the 1960s the co-op had been following retail trends after they had occurred, always having to catch up, in a way that it led the changes before World War II. Many leaders in the movement began to appreciate that this 'me too' approach to retailing was not working, for example expanding into [[hypermarkets]] after [[Tesco]] and [[Sainsbury's]] had already developed a dominant position but without the resources to compete on price. As an attempt to differentiate itself from its larger competitors The Co-operative Bank had introduced an ethical policy in 1992 and this, along with its technical innovation, was well received with customers. The CWS decided that, though it had always aimed to trade responsibly (for example though the working conditions in its factories and plantations as well as its boycott of South African produce during the years of [[Apartheid]], by cementing its 'ethical' credentials in a series of strong and clear policy commitments it could work to convince the public of the 'co-operative difference'. This move posed a bold step for the CWS leadership as this was a wholly new approach for such a large business. The CWS worked with [[The Fairtrade Foundation]] to help introduce the Fairtrade Mark in the UK, it was an early adopter of the [[RSPCA]]'s 'Freedom Foods' animal welfare certification, it introduced the first supermarket line of 'environmentally friendly' household products and the first range of toiletries certified by [[Cruelty Free International]] as not tested on animals. This new adoption of an ethical strategy was only part of the CWS's changes. After the 1997 strategic review the business suggested that it close the majority of its [[hypermarkets]] and [[department stores]] and instead focus on its core chain of [[convenience store]]s, another significant proposal.
===List of retail societies===
<span id="List of Societies"></span>
{{Incomplete list|date=August 2008}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Society
! Website
! Founded
! Members
! Activities
<span style="font-weight:normal;font-size:smaller">(number of outlets)</span>
|-
| [[Allendale Co-operative Society|Allendale]] || [http://allendalecoop.co.uk allendalecoop.co.uk] || 1862  || || Food (1)
|-
| [[Bathford Enterprise for All|Bathford]] || [https://web.archive.org/web/20080807124220/http://bathford.net/BEFA.php www.bathford.net/BEFA.php] || 2006 || 200 (2009)  || Food (1)
|-
| [[Central England Co-operative|Central England]]  || [http://www.centralengland.coop centralengland.coop] || 1854<ref>As Derby Co-operative Provident Society, which became [[Midlands Co-operative Society]] in 1995</ref> and 1876<ref>As Peterborough Equitable Industrial Co-operative Society, which became [[Anglia Regional Co-operative Society]] in 1987</ref> || 329,000 || Food (255),<ref>30 from Anglia Regional, 171 from Midlands Co-operative</ref> funerals (98),<ref>18 from Anglia Regional, 80 from Midlands Co-operative</ref> travel (111),<ref>11 from Anglia Regional, 100 from Midlands Co-operative</ref> non-food (44),<ref>38 from Anglia Regional, 6 from Midlands Co-operative</ref> petrol (12), opticians (2)
|-
| [[Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society|Chelmsford Star]] || [http://www.chelmsfordstar.coop/ chelmsfordstar.coop] || 1867 || 52,937<ref name="chelmsfordstar-mem">{{Cite journal
|title=Annual Report and Financial Statements
|publisher=Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society
|date=27 January 2007
|page=5
|url=http://www.chelmsfordstar.coop/common/pdf/Star07R&A.pdf
|access-date=2008-01-11
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327160930/http://www.chelmsfordstar.coop/common/pdf/Star07R%26A.pdf
|archive-date=27 March 2009
}}</ref> || Food (28), non-food (2), travel (3), funerals (6)
|-
| [[Channel Islands Co-operative Society|Channel Islands]]  || [http://www.ci-cooperative.com/ ci-cooperative.com] || 1919 || || Food (23), non-food (3: two 'Homemaker' stores and one 'Totalsport' store), travel (3), funeral (1 – branded as 'De Gruchy's')
|-
| [[Clydebank Co-operative Society|Clydebank]] ||[http://www.realco-op.co.uk/ Clydebank Co-operative Society] || 1881 || || Food (6)
|-
| [[Coniston Co-operative Society|Coniston]] || [https://www.uk.coop/directory/coniston-co-operative-society/ Coniston Co-operative Society] || 1896 || || Food (1)
|-
| [[The Co-operative Group]] || [http://co-operative.coop/ co-operative.coop] || 1844 || 6m (estimate) || Food (2,786), funeral (900), insurance, legal services, electrical products
|-
| [[East of England Co-operative Society|East of England]] || [http://www.eastofengland.coop/ eastofengland.coop] || 1858<ref name="eastofengland-founded">As [[Norwich Co-operative Society]]</ref>|| ≈350,000 ||
|-
| [[Grosmont Co-operative Society|Grosmont]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.cooponline.coop/cgi-bin/external/locator.cgi?page=further&OfflineID=5818&category=Co-op+Societies&postcode=grosmont
|title=Grosmont
|publisher=[[The Co-operative Group]]
|work=Co-op Online Directory
|access-date=2008-08-12
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809012922/http://www.cooponline.coop/cgi-bin/external/locator.cgi?page=further&OfflineID=5818&category=Co-op+Societies&postcode=grosmont
|archive-date=9 August 2009
}}</ref> || || 1867<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=992&Suffix=R
|title=Grosmont Co-operative Society Limited, number 992R
|work=Mutuals Public Register
|publisher=[[Financial Services Authority|FSA]]
|access-date=2008-08-12
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407063327/http://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=992&Suffix=R
|archive-date=7 April 2009
}}</ref>|| ||
|-
| [[Heart of England Co-operative Society|Heart of England]]  || [http://www.heartofengland.coop/ heartofengland.coop] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070119114010/http://www.heartofengland.coop/ |date=19 January 2007 }}  || 1832<ref name="heartofengland-founded">As Lockhurst Lane Industrial Co-operative Society</ref> || 179,657<ref name="heartofengland-mem">{{Cite journal|title=Annual Report and Financial Statements |publisher=Heart of England Co-operative Society |date=20 January 2007 |page=8 |url=http://www.21stcentury.coop/pdf/report07_Pt2.pdf |access-date=2008-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327160929/http://www.21stcentury.coop/pdf/report07_Pt2.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2009}}</ref> || Food (33), non-food (21), funeral (9), travel (3), post offices (4)
|-
|[[Hawkshead & District Co-operative Society|Hawkshead]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.cooponline.coop/cgi-bin/external/locator.cgi?page=further&OfflineID=5820&category=Co-op+Societies&postcode=langdale
|title=Hawkshead & District Co-op Society Limited
|access-date=2008-08-12
|work=Co=op Online
|publisher=[[The Co-operative Group]]
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809012837/http://www.cooponline.coop/cgi-bin/external/locator.cgi?page=further&OfflineID=5820&category=Co-op+Societies&postcode=langdale
|archive-date=9 August 2009
}}</ref>|| ||1881<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=2242&Suffix=R
|title=Hawkshead and District Co-operative Society Limited, number 2242R
|work=Mutuals Public Register
|publisher=[[Financial Services Authority|FSA]]
|access-date=2008-08-12
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407063252/http://mutuals.fsa.gov.uk/SocietyDetails.aspx?Number=2242&Suffix=R
|archive-date=7 April 2009
}}</ref> ||
|-
| [[Langdale and Neighbourhood Industrial Co-operative Society|Langdale]]  ||[http://www.langdalecooperative.co.uk langdalecooperative.co.uk] || 1884<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.langdaleco-op.co.uk/ |title=Langdale Co-op |access-date=2006-10-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005102000/http://www.langdaleco-op.co.uk/ |archive-date=5 October 2006}}</ref> || || Food and non-food (1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.langdalevalley.org.uk/schools.asp|title=Banner advertisement in Langdale Valley News: Primary School|access-date=2 April 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124194836/http://langdalevalley.org.uk/schools.asp|archive-date=24 January 2009}}</ref>
|-
| [[Lincolnshire Co-operative|Lincolnshire]]  || [http://www.lincolnshire.coop lincolnshire.coop]  || 1861<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=81&ParentCatID=&SubCatID=32
|title=History: 1864
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162705/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=81&ParentCatID=&SubCatID=32
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> || {{Increase}}149,247 (2007) || Food (83), Gadsby's Bakery, pharmacies (29),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/downloads/FreedomOfInformation.pdf
|title=Lincoln Co-operative Chemists Ltd Publication Scheme
|page=3
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327160929/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/downloads/FreedomOfInformation.pdf
|archive-date=27 March 2009
}}</ref> coffee shops (3),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=39&SubCatID=13
|title=Coffee Shop
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162759/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=39&SubCatID=13
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> non-food (0),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=30
|title=Home
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162842/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=30
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> post offices (41),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=38
|title=Post Office
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162857/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=38
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> travel (9),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/Content.asp?PageID=48&SubCatID=37
|title=The co-operative travel
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162921/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/Content.asp?PageID=48&SubCatID=37
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> funeral (9),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=151&SubCatID=65
|title=Funeral Arrangements: Our Funeral Homes
|access-date=2008-08-04
|publisher=Lincolnshire Co-operative
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162945/http://www.lincolnshire.coop/content.asp?PageID=151&SubCatID=65
|archive-date=18 July 2011
}}</ref> motors (0), petrol (6), cash registers
|-
| [[Midcounties Co-operative|Midcounties]] || [http://www.midcounties.coop midcounties.coop] || || || Food (254), travel (46), pharmacy (46), funerals (81), childcare (46), post offices (92)
|-
| [[Radstock Co-operative Society|Radstock]]  ||[http://www.radstock-co-op.com/ www.radstock-co-op.com] || 1867 || 7,500 || Food (14)
|-
| [[Scottish Midland Co-operative|Scotmid]] || [http://www.scotmid.coop scotmid.coop] || || || Food (204)<ref>11 from Penrith Co-operative, 129 already within Scotmid</ref>
|-
| [[Steeple Ashton Village Shop|Steeple Ashton]] ||  || 2005<ref name="stash-idea">{{Cite journal|url=http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=7222442|title=Rural innovation in Wiltshire|date=October 2007|publisher=[[Improvement and Development Agency|IDeA]] and [[Young Foundation]]|author=Anna Minton|journal='Transforming Neighbourhoods: A Collection of Stories About Community Engagement|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090810023402/http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=7222442|archive-date=10 August 2009}}</ref> || 230 (2007)<ref name="stash-idea" /> || Food (1)
|-
| [[Southern Co-operatives|Southern]] || [http://www.southern.coop southern.coop] || 1873 || 93,000 (2009) || Food (120), funerals (31)
|-
| [[Tamworth Co-operative Society|Tamworth]] || [http://www.tamworth.coop tamworth.coop] || || || Food (14), non-food (2), funeral (8)
|-
| [[Wine Society]]|| [http://www.thewinesociety.com/ thewinesociety.com] || || || Wine
|-
|}
==Utility co-operatives==
Utility co-operatives provide their members with services such as [[telecommunications]], [[energy]] and [[water]].
[[The Phone Co-op]] was established in 1998 and provides broadband, fixed line and mobile telecoms services to consumers and organisations. Today the business is part of the Midcounties Co-operative and provides [[landline]], [[mobile telephone]] and [[Internet]] services, including [[broadband]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
[[The Co-operative Energy]] is an energy supplier which is operated on behalf of [[Midcounties Co-operative]] by [[Octopus Energy]], making it the only co-operative supplier in the UK energy market. The business sources more than half its energy from renewable sources (the UK average is approximately 15%) with some electricity sourced from several [[Community wind energy|community owned]] renewable energy schemes, including the Great Dunkilns Farm [[wind turbine]] at [[St Briavels]] in [[Gloucestershire]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Wind turbine at St Briavels farm prepared for switch-on|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-19760204|access-date=21 April 2014|publisher=BBC|date=29 September 2012}}</ref> and [[Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Westmill Wind Farm|url=http://www.westmill.coop/westmill_home.asp|access-date=21 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026125558/http://www.westmill.coop/westmill_home.asp|archive-date=26 October 2012}}</ref>
==Financial co-operatives==
===Credit unions===
{{further|Credit unions in the United Kingdom}}
[[Credit union]]s are a loan and savings co-operative. Members normally have a 'common bond' to make them eligible for membership. Commons bonds are usually that all members live in a certain locality, work for a common employer or belong to the same trade union, [[church body|church]] or association. Because of the need for a common bond, most credit unions remain rather small.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} Credit unions are run in a not-for-profit way. This means they use their money to run their services and reward their members – not to pay outside shareholders. They must set money aside each year to ensure they don't go bust. They use any leftover money to provide better services to members or share evenly among savings accounts (a [[dividend]])<ref name="cu">{{Cite journal
| last = Financial Services Authority
| author-link = Financial Services Authority
| title = Just the facts about Credit Unions
| pages = 2–3
| year = 2007
}}</ref>
In Great Britain (England, Scotland and [[Wales]]), credit unions are regulated by the [[Financial Services Authority]] who set certain standard and approve the people who hold important positions within a credit union. All credit unions must have the words 'credit union' in the title, or in [[Wales]] they can have 'undeb credyd'. The main trade association for credit unions in Great Britain is the [[Association of British Credit Unions]] Ltd (ABCUL). ABCUL is based in [[Holyoake House]], a Grade One listed building in [[Manchester]] owned by [[Co-operatives UK|Co-operatives<sup>UK</sup>]].
In [[Northern Ireland]], credit unions are currently regulated by the [[Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment]] and registered by its registry function – the Registry of Credit Unions and Industrial and Provident Societies.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-registry-index.htm
|title=NI Credit Unions And Societies
|access-date=2010-07-01
|work=DETI website
|publisher=[[Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment]]
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521082425/http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-registry-index.htm
|archive-date=21 May 2010
}}</ref> However, there are proposals for regulatory reform, set out by [[HM Treasury]] and the [[Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment|DETI]], which detail transferring registration and regulatory responsibility for credit unions in Northern Ireland to the [[Financial Services Authority]].<ref>{{Cite journal
|title=Proposals for regulatory reform of credit unions in Northern Ireland
|publisher=[[HM Treasury]]
|date=30 March 2010
|page=68
|url=http://www.detini.gov.uk/pu872_ni_cus_condoc_final_pdf-5.pdf
|access-date=2010-07-01
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920131718/http://www.detini.gov.uk/pu872_ni_cus_condoc_final_pdf-5.pdf
|archive-date=20 September 2010
}}</ref> The main trade association for credit unions throughout the island of Ireland is the [[Irish League of Credit Unions]].
==Housing==
<span id="Housing Co-operatives"></span>
{{further|Housing cooperative}}
Housing co-operatives are owned and democratically controlled by its member-tenants. The Confederation of Co-operative Housing is the UK's national body for housing co-ops.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
==Worker==
{{further|Worker cooperative}}
A worker co-operative is a co-operative owned and democratically controlled by its employees. There are no outside- or consumer-owners in a worker co-operative. Only the workers own shares of the business. It is estimated that there are approximately 403 worker owned and controlled co-operatives in the United Kingdom. In 2009 Co-operatives<sup>UK</sup> recorded a combined turnover of £144 million with assets of £32 million as part of the Co-operative Review 2009.<ref name="worker">{{Cite journal
| last = John Atherton
| author-link = John Atherton
| title = Co-operative Review 2009
| publisher = [[Co-operatives UK|Co-operatives<sup>UK</sup>]]
| date = 11 December 2009
| url = http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/performancereview
| access-date = 11 December 2009
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100118200913/http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/performancereview
| archive-date = 18 January 2010
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
The largest employee-owned company in the UK is the [[John Lewis Partnership]]. Though John Lewis is a [[public limited company]], its [[stock|shares]] are held in trust on behalf of the employees rather than being traded on the [[London Stock Exchange]]. Each employee (referred to as "partner" within John Lewis) has a say in how the company is run and each year they are awarded an equal percentage share of the profits based on their salary. In the past ten years, this has amounted to between one and two months' salary for partners. The John Lewis Partnership operates twenty-six [[department store]]s and a [[web store]] under the [[John Lewis (department store)|John Lewis]] division and 187 (Dec 2007) supermarkets in the [[Waitrose]] division. The company's presence is more marked in the south and east of England though it is gradually expanding to other areas of Great Britain.
[[Suma (co-operative)|Suma]] is the largest independent wholefood wholesaler-distributor in the United Kingdom and a workers' co-operative. Suma specialise in vegetarian, [[Fairtrade]], [[organic food|organic]], ethical and natural products. [[Greencity Wholefoods]] is a similar worker co-operative based in [[Glasgow]], Scotland.
[[Infinity Foods Workers Co-operative Ltd (co-operative)]] is a large independent wholefood business in East Sussex. With a retail outlet with artisan Bakery, Cafe and wholesaler-distribution. Infinity Foods specialise in vegetarian, [[Fairtrade]], [[organic food|organic]], ethical and natural products. Infinity Foods workers co-operative has over 100 worker members making it one of the biggest independent employers in the Brighton and Hove area.
Footprint Workers Co-operative, a printing service has been running in Leeds since 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Footprint: A radical workers co-operative and its ecology of mutual support {{!}} ephemera |url=http://www.ephemerajournal.org/contribution/footprint-radical-workers-co-operative-and-its-ecology-mutual-support |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=www.ephemerajournal.org}}</ref>
The [[Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative]] is the oldest workers co-operative in Scotland, being established in 1977. It has since expanded and now operates eight stores across Scotland and northern England as well as an online sales platform.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}. [[Brixton Cycles]], inspired by Edinburgh, opened in 1983 and is also still running today.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=The History Of Brixton Cycles |url=https://brixtoncycles.co.uk/news/the-history-of-brixton-cycles/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=brixtoncycles.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
==Agricultural==
[[Agricultural cooperative|Agricultural marketing and supply co-operatives]] are owned by farmers. [[Openfield|Openfield Group]], Britain's only national grain marketing and arable inputs co-operative, has over 4,000 farmer owners.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-08-29 |title=Openfield named as seventh largest UK co-operative |url=https://www.openfield.co.uk/news/openfield-named-as-seventh-largest-uk-co-operative/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=Openfield |language=en}}</ref> [[Mole Valley Farmers]] is another example of a supply co-operative founded by farmers.
The late 20th century saw the [[demutualisation]] of several large co-operatives, including the large regional West Midland Farmers, which was founded in 1916 as the Atworth and District Agricultural Society.<ref>{{Cite web |website=Wiltshire Community History |title=Melksham |url=https://apps.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityhistory/Community/Index/158 |publisher=Wiltshire Council |access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> West Midland Farmers renamed itself to [[Countrywide Farmers]] in 1999, becoming a joint stock company owned by 11,000 farmers<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/pws/Content.ice?page=CorporateHome&pgForward=businesshome|title=Welcome to Countrywide Farmers|author=Fresca Limited|work=countrywidefarmers.co.uk|access-date=14 December 2015}}</ref> until it went out of business in 2018.
The 1994 break-up of the [[Milk Marketing Board]] eventually formed several large dairy marketing co-operatives, including Milk Marque (since demutualised and renamed [[Community Foods Group]]), [[Dairy Farmers of Britain]] (ceased trading in 2009), [[Milk Link]] (merged into [[Arla Foods UK|Arla Foods]] in 2012) and [[First Milk (company)|First Milk]].<ref>{{Cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/451599.stm
|title=Business: The Company File: Milk Marque split 'welcome'
|date=19 September 1999
|access-date=2008-10-06
|publisher=BBC News
|work=BBC Online Network
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7028043.stm|title=Milk giants in merger discussion|work=BBC News|date=4 October 2007|access-date=14 December 2015}}</ref>
==Community co-operatives==
===Community shops===
Community shops are not dissimilar from [[food co-op]]s but are often found in more remote villages and provide some of the services of a [[convenience store]] but also frequently have [[Cafeteria|cafe]], [[healthcare]] or [[library]] services. Since 1979 some two dozen community co-operatives have been [[Community co-operatives in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland| established in remote areas in the Scottish Highlands and Islands]] and have carried on not only retailing but manufacturing and service industries, improving both incomes and the quality of life. As of 2015, there are 330 community shops in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.communityshops.coop/ |title=Plunkett &#124; Home |publisher=Communityshops.coop |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711081502/http://www.communityshops.coop/ |archive-date=11 July 2015}}</ref>
===Community pubs===
Community [[pubs]] have largely resulted from situations where a [[pub chain]] has chosen to close a pub, often in a village which is otherwise under-served by pubs. Commonly community pubs in England are established by listing the pub as an Asset of Community Value under the [[Localism Act 2011|2011 Localism Act]] before a group of local people raise sufficient funds to purchase and re-open the pub. Funds are often raised using a [[community share]]s scheme and are subsequently run as co-operatives. As of 2015, there are 35 community pubs registered in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pubs.coop/ |title=Plunkett &#124; Home |publisher=Pubs.coop |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802043820/http://www.pubs.coop/ |archive-date=2 August 2015}}</ref> In some situations a community pub may also incorporate a community shop.
Examples of community pubs include: The Angler's Rest, [[Bamford]], Fox and Goose, [[Hebden Bridge]], Fox and Hounds, [[Charwelton]], The Rose and Crown, [[Hexham]] and [[The Ivy House]] in [[Nunhead]], south [[London]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pubs.coop/rose-and-crown-northumberland |title=Plunkett &#124; Home |publisher=Pubs.coop |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512120151/http://www.pubs.coop/rose-and-crown-northumberland |archive-date=12 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pubs.coop/fox-and-hounds-northamptonshire |title=Plunkett &#124; Home |publisher=Pubs.coop |access-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512112108/http://www.pubs.coop/fox-and-hounds-northamptonshire |archive-date=12 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to the Anglers Rest |url=http://anglers.bamford.coop |access-date=4 June 2015 |website=anglers.bamford.coop |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111181654/http://anglers.bamford.coop/ |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Blunden |first=Tessa |date=2013-07-15 |title=The Ivy House: the challenges of a community share issue in London |url=http://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/2013/jul/15/london-pub-saved-by-community |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
'''Community centres'''
{{See also|Self-managed social centres in the United Kingdom}}
Crossing over sometimes with the function of Community pubs, self-organised social centres or community centres are often worker or volunteer co-operatives. Often starting off as informal collectives or squats, some social centres incorporate, often finding the cooperative model appropriate. These buildings can have community spaces, resources, bars and cafes within them. Examples include Partisan in Manchester, the [[1 in 12 Club]] in [[Bradford]], the [[Cowley Club]] in [[Brighton]] and the [[Sumac Centre]] in [[Nottingham]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-29 |title=Welcome to Partisan |url=https://freedomnews.org.uk/2017/11/29/welcome-to-partisan/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Freedom News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sumac Centre Nottingham - History |url=https://www.veggies.org.uk/sumac/history.html |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=www.veggies.org.uk}}</ref>
===Community energy co-operatives===
{{See also|Community wind energy}}
A number of community-owned co-operatives have been established to own and run small-scale renewable energy projects. Many of these operate as onshore [[wind farms]], small-scale [[solar power]] installations or as [[micro-hydro]] projects. Financing for such schemes is often a combination of [[community share]]s and [[Loan|loan funding]] and surplus funds are often distributed (once interest to loan providers and shareholders is paid) to community groups or local development projects. Examples of such co-operatives include the [[Baywind Energy Co-operative]] and [[Torrs Hydro]].
==Retailers'==
<span id="Retailers' co-operatives"></span>
[[Retailers' co-operative]]s (not to be confused with [[#Consumer and food|retail consumer co-operatives, above]]) provide marketing and wholesaling services to retail businesses.
*Independent retail consumer co-operatives are corporate members of [[The Co-operative Group]], a [[secondary co-operative]].  The Co-operative Group manages the [[Co-operative Federal Trading Services|Co-operative Federal Retail and Trading Services]], servicing 3,200 food stores, including its own and those of its corporate members.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.crtg.coop/index.cfm/item_id:3/about_CRTG/
|title=About CRTG
|access-date=2008-05-20
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023214349/http://www.crtg.coop/index.cfm/item_id%3A3/about_CRTG/
|archive-date=23 October 2008
}}</ref> The Group also provides other collective buying, marketing and distribution functions.
*Members of the Arizona hoteliers' marketing association, [[Best Western]], have 280 hotels in the UK, {{As of|2008|lc=on}}.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/Values/Default.aspx
|title=About Us
|publisher=[[Best Western]] Hotels GB
|access-date=2008-05-20
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719151324/http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/Values/Default.aspx
|archive-date=19 July 2011
}}</ref>
*UK retail business [[Nisa (retailer)|Nisa]] is part of The Co-operative Group.  {{As of|2008}}, Nisa represents 300 wholesalers and 674 retailers, with 5000 convenience stores and small supermarkets, including the [[Costcutter]] [[symbol group]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://corporate.nisa-todays.com/aboutus
|title=About Us
|publisher=Nisa
|access-date=2008-05-20
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510100010/http://corporate.nisa-todays.com/aboutus
|archive-date=10 May 2008
}}</ref>
*The Dutch association of retailers and wholesalers, [[Spar (retailer)|Spar]], is very similar to Nisa, but its UK membership is smaller. {{As of|2008}}, Spar members have 2,500 outlets in the UK.
*Most retail florists are members of [[Interflora]], a former co-operative that [[demutualised]] in 2006 (when it was acquired by its United States affiliate, [[Florists' Transworld Delivery]].)
==Support organisations==
[[File:Holyoake House, Manchester.jpg|thumb|[[Holyoake House]] in Manchester, home to a number of co-operatives including [[Co-operatives UK]], the [[Co-operative College]], and [[Co-op News]].]]
In addition to [[Co-operatives UK]], the central membership organisation for British co-operatives, there are a variety of other support organisations and secondary co-operatives serving the sector. The [[Plunkett Foundation]] promotes co-operation in rural communities, including the agricultural and retail sectors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.plunkett.co.uk/aboutus/index.cfm |title=About us |publisher=[[Plunkett Foundation]] |access-date=11 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327061231/http://www.plunkett.co.uk/aboutus/index.cfm |archive-date=27 March 2009}}</ref> There are several other sectoral co-operative bodies, such as the [[Confederation of Co-operative Housing]] and [[Supporters Direct]].
The [[Co-operative College]] has, since 1919, served the co-operative sector in terms of developing members and managers, working internationally and developing new co-operative ideas. Various independent [[co-operative development agency|co-operative development agencies]] assist the formation of new co-operative enterprises. [[Co-operative & Community Finance]] provides financing for new ventures. The [[Co-operative Press]] publishes ''[[Co-op News]]'', the main news organ of the movement. The [[UK Society for Co-operative Studies]] brings together academics and co-operators and publishes the ''[[Journal of Co-operative Studies]]''.
The [[Co-operative Party]] was formed to promote the co-operative sector in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]]. Retail societies and other co-operatives are among the members of the party, which works with the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] to elect those sympathetic to co-operative issues and to promote co-operation and mutuality. The think tank and consultancy [[Mutuo]] was originally developed by the party and now operates independently across the wider mutual sector in the United Kingdom.
The [[Woodcraft Folk]] is an organisation widely considered to be the youth arm of the co-operative movement. Woodcraft Folk groups teach the principles of cooperation to children and is financially supported by the Co-operative Group and many other cooperative societies.
The [[Wales Co-operative Centre]] is a co-operative development organisation based in Wales. They deliver business support for groups looking to set up co-operatives and social enterprises, and also deliver support around the themes of employee buyout and co-operative consortia working. They also provide support for organisations who are exploring setting up housing co-operatives.
[[Students for Cooperation]] is a federation of 30 student co-operatives across the UK. The organisation works to support new and existing student co-ops, and to promote and raise awareness of the co-operative model amongst students.
==References==
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==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20121215142935/http://www.co-operativesuk.coop/ Co-operatives<sup>UK</sup>]
* [http://www.co-operative.co.uk/ The Co-operative Group]
* [http://www.abcul.org/ Association of British Credit Unions]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080516211450/http://www.creditunion.ie/ Irish League of Credit Unions]
* [http://www.cch-uk.org/ Confederations of Co-operative Housing]
* [http://www.letslink.org/ LETS Link]
* [http://www.plunkett.co.uk Plunkett Foundation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140227044157/http://woodcraft.org.uk/ The Woodcraft Folk]
* [http://www.students.coop/ Students for Cooperation]
* [http://www.walescooperative.org/business-support-wales/ Wales Co-operative Centre]
{{Co-operatives |topics}}
{{Economy of the United Kingdom}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:British Co-Operative Movement}}
[[Category:Co-operatives in the United Kingdom| ]]
[[Category:Political movements in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British political party founders]]