Why getting your groceries from Co-op makes a real difference
groceries
Find out how shopping at Co-op supports individuals and communities in the UK and around the world, benefits the environment and helps build a brighter future.
As well as giving you great choice and value, at Co-op we like to make a difference to communities, our suppliers and the environment.
By shopping with us you know you’re helping all aspects of things we appreciate most. Whether it’s British farmers, our local community, our planet or the health and well-being of the nation.
It doesn’t matter if you’re getting last minute essentials delivered, forgot something during your ‘big shop’ or simply don’t want to leave the house. Every purchase you make can make a difference.
A difference that benefits everyone
Community is a word we often hear, but at Co-op we give millions of pounds to communities throughout the country each year. All you have to do is shop with us to make that number even bigger. From food banks, to community support groups and fairer access to education. We strive to help communities stand stronger and create lasting change for the benefit of society.
Making the biggest difference to our community
Supporting community projects is an area close to our hearts. These initiatives can be as diverse as helping small farms teach children to grow food. Or inner city schemes that help adults retrain, re-educate and become re-employed in today’s competitive world.
In 2020 we gave over £15 million to causes, charities, sports clubs, kids clubs - the length and breadth of the country. This money helps these schemes get bigger, help more people and support the communities that need it most; and it’s by shopping at Co-op that you can play your part in championing these causes doing amazing work every day.
Knowing what our customers want makes a real difference Our planet is a primary concern. We’ve seen the demolition of habitats, livelihoods and welfare standards and we’re doing everything we can to ensure our impact is as small as possible. We champion British farming, working alongside producers to ensure welfare standards remain high whilst farmers get paid their fare share.
When our customers said they wanted ethical and responsibly sourced products but at an affordable price point, we listened to them. Our Honest Value range is designed around our customers desire to lead more ethical lives. This range created around the mantra of ‘A values range with values’ embodies our commitment to the planet and doing the right thing.
Making a difference with our packaging
Co-op customers said they wanted us to investigate changes we could make to our packaging. So we reviewed them with sustainability, recyclability and the planet in mind. We recoloured milk bottle tops meaning that plastic sorting machines had an easier job of recycling them properly. This was also true for our mushroom punnets. Replacing traditional polystyrene trays with cardboard ones in pizza boxes has saved 200 tonnes of plastics ending up in landfill - it was a win-win result!
Our collaboration with Fairtrade farmers worldwide, helps them farm sustainably and receive ethical prices for their goods. We know that paying a fair price means local farmers can have successful businesses without stripping the earth’s resources.
Our love for the planet doesn’t stop there, did you know Co-op were the first UK supermarket to introduce compostable bags as standard? We’ve managed to reduce our customer’s plastic bag consumption by 95% since 2006. We’ve championed greener, more sustainable packaging throughout many of our own-brand products and all our stores run on 100% sustainably sourced energy.
Making a difference to individuals
We’re proud to work in partnership with charities like Parkrun and Mind. We know that good food, paired with an active lifestyle is key to a balance of body and mind. We have an ever expanding range of healthy recipes on our recipe site. Whilst our meat-free ‘Gro’ range of plant-based foods is readily available throughout our UK stores. We work tirelessly cooking up new ways for our customers to incorporate goodness into their diets every day... but the body is just one aspect of our being.
One in four people experience a mental health problem in any one year. That’s someone in every family, workplace and friendship circle. In the UK it's around 14 million people. That's why we’re working in partnership with Mind, the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and Inspire to bring communities together to improve mental wellbeing. Alongside our mental health partners we aim to raise £6 million. Which enables these charities to deliver innovative new services in communities across the UK. Ensuring everyone can receive the support they need.
Making a difference above all else
When we talk about values we’re not referring to money, we relate it to the fabric of society; our principles are more valuable than our profits. We pride ourselves on a fairer, better way of doing business.
Equality, equity and self-responsibility are terms we’re all familiar with, but we live and breathe them. We want to leave the world in a better place than when we started. We strive to do the best we possibly can for those that don’t have a voice. We do this because we’re Co-op and it’s what we do.
