Co-op Food


Co-op Food

Previously trading as The Co-operative Food, Co-op Food is a is a food retailer that is part of the long-running consumer co-operative movement and is the biggest of its kind in the country. It is part of a larger family of different outlets including financial, legal and funeral care services and electrical retail stores. The food retailer is famous for industry-leading initiatives such as being a champion of Fair Trade food, ethically-sourced products and the nutritional traffic light information featured on packaging. With more than 4,050 shops up and down the UK, there are outlets readily available. In the Co-Op Food range you will find frozen and fresh foods, fruit, vegetables, household goods, pet food, dry goods, meat, fish, alcohol, soft drinks and bakery items as well as takeout food items.

Co-Op Opening Times and Locations

The extent of the Co-op Food chain of stores in the UK is so huge that there are food outlets in most big cities and towns. Gloucester, interestingly has the highest number of branches, with Glasgow and Darlington following closely behind. Generally speaking, Co-Op Food opening times are from 1am to 10pm Monday through to Sunday. However, this differs from location to location. There are also different Co-Op Food opening times on special occasions and public holidays such as May Day Bank Holiday Monday, New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and Easter Monday. So, it is always important to check out the local Co-Op opening times. Anyone looking for the answer to the question of 'when are local branches open near me open?' should always check opening-times.co.uk.

5 Interesting Facts About Co-op Food

Co-op Food is so widespread with various branches up and down the country, that most customers know something about it. However, just in case you are on the lookout for some little quick facts, perhaps because you have a quiz night coming up with a specialist subject of food retailer chain. Or perhaps you are just looking to expand your more extensive collection of random facts.

  1. Co-op Food was approximately 6.6% of the grocery market in the UK.
  2. It won the award for 'Convenience Retailer of the Year' at the Retail Industry Awards in 2016.
  3. The organisation was the first to sell Fairtrade products and first in the UK to sell fairtrade goods such as blueberries, sugar, own-brand wine, own-brand chocolate, bananas and coffee.
  4. The Co-op raised more than £19m for various local good causes and charities.
  5. Co-op Food backed conservationist and engineer, Martin Bacon, when he set the world record for the fastest vehicle powered by coffee with an average speed of 65.536mph.

Products

As a food retail chain, Co-op Food is known for its wide range of food products. In their outlets, you will find most of the common groceries you are likely to find in other supermarkets, such as bread, milk, fruit, veg, snacks, confectionary, frozen goods and lots of other types of food. As a champion of various food initiatives, particularly ethically sourced, organic and Fair Trade products, it is a popular chain for those conscious of issues related to food and the environment.

Food Co-op own branded food is sold as part of three main ranges from the company. This includes Co-op (standard range of own brand products), Irresistible (premium food and drinks range) and Free From (self-explanatory range for consumers with various food allergies and dietary requirements).

Brief History

The Co-op Group was established by the Rochdale Pioneers who first came up with the idea of co-operative societies that believed that businesses should be owned by their members. It was then in 1863 that a group of independent co-ops formed the CWS or Co-operative Wholesale Society that then provided food and other products for sale in hundreds of the Co-op stores throughout the country. Over the decades and years, the CWS went through various changed and then was transformed into the Co-operative Group.

As an organisation they have been responsible for a lot of firsts, from being the first to use rations to ensure everyone got a fair share during WWI to being the first retail group to use degradable plastic carrier bags and the first to ban over 20 of the most common pesticides used from their fresh products. Most famously in recent years, the Co-op Group and Co-op Food have been leaders in Fair Trade, starting with being the first company to sell Fair Trade bananas, and eventually their own branded Fair Trade products.

More Supermarkets in the UK

Co-op Food closed? Then try one of the other Supermarkets nearby.