responsible retailing
quality products that you can trust - for the right reasons
As a consumer owned organisation, The Co-operative is uniquely placed to campaign on behalf of our customers and the wider community. Consequently, we are committed to providing full, honest and open information so that you can make informed choices about the products you choose when shopping.
The pursuit of plenty has brought a choice of foods and other products on a scale undreamed of 100 years ago. Most people welcome the choice available and generally agree that quality and value are better than they've ever been.
However, there is a downside to this and our customers have also told us that they are concerned about the possible side effects. We've all seen the headlines about health scares, environmental violations and animal welfare outrages. So much so that, despite the best efforts of many involved in food production, today's consumers are broadly mistrustful of the food that fills their plates.
The Co-operative has campaigned on responsible retailing issues for over 150 years, leading and, if necessary breaking ranks with industry, and interpreting the law in the best interests of the consumer. We have a team of technical experts who evaluate where all our own brand products come from, what they contain, how they are made and increasingly what the workers' conditions are like.
Follow the links below to find out more about the progress we’ve made:
How, and on what we campaign, is determined by talking to our members. If you want have a say in how we run our business, then join us by becoming a member.