Co-op

Name

Co-op

Legal name

Co-operative Group Limited

Website

https://coop.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1846

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grocery Retail

NAICS

Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Funeral Homes and Funeral Services (812210), Cemeteries and Crematories (812220)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Convenience Stores (5412)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Co-ops with Online Ordering & Pickup/Delivery (CRAHALAH)

Keywords

• Grocery retail
• Convenience stores
• Funeral services
• Cooperative membership
• Food retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food and Retail Sales: Primary revenue stream from grocery retail operations across 2,500+ convenience stores. Retail division revenue dropped to £7bn with overall group revenues declining 2.3% to just over £11bn.
2. Funeral Services: Co-op operates funeral homes and crematoria across the UK, forming a significant business unit alongside retail operations. The proposed acquisition of Southern Co-op would add crematoria to the portfolio.
3. Membership and Loyalty: Co-op's member-owned model generates revenue through member engagement and loyalty programs, with 6.5 million members (targeting 8 million by 2030). Members receive personalised offers and value through the cooperative structure.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Co-op operates a member-owned cooperative business providing grocery retail through 2,500+ convenience stores across the UK, funeral care services including funeral homes and crematoria, and an online grocery platform (shop.coop) with integrated loyalty offers. The cooperative engages 6.5 million members through personalised offers and community-focused services including parcel collection, bill payments, bakery items, and Costa Express coffee.

Product overview

Co-operative Group (Co-op) is a member-owned retail and funeral care business operating a multi-format portfolio. The core offerings include Co-op Food (grocery retail across 2,500+ convenience stores), Co-op Funeral Services (funeral homes and crematoria), and Co-op's loyalty membership program (6.5+ million members). The company has expanded its digital presence through Co-op Media Network (digital advertising screens) and online shopping via shop.coop with integrated loyalty offers. Co-op is also deploying innovative in-store technology including Flexi Checkout smart tills and parcel collection services via Amazon, DPD, and InPost. An acquisition of Southern Co-op (300 outlets) is pending, which would expand its footprint across southern England.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Co-op Food (Grocery) Convenience grocery retail offering food, fresh produce, bakery, ready meals, Costa Express coffee, and everyday essentials across over 2,500 stores in the UK. Targets UK consumers seeking nearby convenience shopping with extended hours.
• Co-op Funeral Services Funeral care services including funeral homes and crematoria across the UK. Part of the group's expansion through the Southern Co-op acquisition that would add crematoria to the portfolio.
• Co-op Loyalty Membership Member-owned loyalty programme with approximately 6.5 million members (targeting 8 million by 2030), offering personalised weekly offers available both in-store and online, plus member-only discounts and rewards. Members collectively own and govern the cooperative.
• Co-op Online Shopping (shop.coop) E-commerce platform enabling online grocery shopping with loyalty integration, allowing members to access personalised offers online alongside in-store shopping.
• Co-op Media Network Digital out-of-home advertising network spanning over 2,300 UK stores with 1,000+ digital screens. Sells advertising inventory to brands and agencies seeking retail point-of-purchase audience reach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Potential savings of over £80 annually through loyalty programme use
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diebold NixdorfcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 February 2026Technology supplier for 'flexi checkouts' - smart tills that can switch between self-service and cashier-operated modes. First UK supermarket to use this technology, launching across 150 stores by April 2026.
• BuffaloadcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 February 2026Five-year logistics contract renewal for ambient goods distribution from Coventry national distribution centre to 11 regional centres across the UK. Partnership includes sustainability focus with LNG trucks and bio-LNG from food and agricultural waste.
• PodbackminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2025Coffee pod recycling trial launched to promote sustainable disposal of coffee pods as part of Co-op's environmental initiatives.
• UNISONminorOthers · 29 October 2025UNISON signed a sublet agreement to occupy 11,927 sq ft at Co-op's One Angel Square headquarters in Manchester, advancing Co-op's hybrid-work strategy.
• HMPastiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Co-op listed HMPasties in a landmark deal supporting employment for prison leavers across Manchester stores.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tesco: The UK's largest grocery retailer with ~4,000 stores including a large convenience (Tesco Express) footprint directly overlapping Co-op's neighbourhood positioning; competes head-to-head on price, loyalty (Clubcard) and range.

Direct peers

• Sainsbury's: Major UK grocer operating supermarkets and a convenience (Sainsbury's Local) estate, with a Nectar loyalty programme analogous to Co-op's member scheme; most directly comparable on store count, product mix and member/loyalty strategy.
• Aldi: Hard-discount German grocer aggressively expanding UK store count and the reference competitor in Co-op's price-match scheme; key threat on price-led grocery baskets.
• Lidl: Hard-discount competitor with a fast-growing UK estate; competes directly with Co-op on price and convenience-format locations.
• Morrisons: UK grocer with strong fresh/manufacturing heritage; competes in both grocery and adjacent services, providing a useful benchmark for UK grocery operating models.
• Asda: UK grocer with a significant convenience and supermarket estate; a private-equity-owned competitor comparable to Co-op on ownership structure and pricing-led positioning.
• Waitrose: Premium UK grocer and part of the John Lewis Partnership (mutual/cooperative-like structure); directly comparable to Co-op on values-led retail, member ownership ethos and convenience footprint.
• M&S Food: M&S's food hall and convenience-store push directly competes with Co-op on quality-led grocery, prepared meals and bakery - overlapping in urban and suburban catchments.
• Dignity plc: UK-listed funeral services operator; a direct peer for Co-op's funeralcare arm and the most relevant comparable given Co-op's pending crematoria expansion via the Southern Co-op acquisition.
• Iceland: UK frozen and convenience food specialist with a comparable store-count profile; competes for the same value-conscious UK shopper in neighbourhood locations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coopuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Co-op