National Union of Students grants Co-op exclusive access

18 September 2019

The Co-op has today (18th September) announced a deal which could see it serving seven million students with food products and services over the next five years.

The National Union of Students (NUS), which represents 600 members across the UK, has signed Co-op as the exclusive retail grocery store franchise partner, which could see Co-op stores open in NUS member locations.

Earlier this year, the Co-op unveiled moves to develop franchise stores for the first time in its 175-year history. The Manchester-based business has opened seven franchise stores, with four based at Universities, and in a new deal it can offer Co-op franchise opportunities to NUS members’ campuses.

The expansion programme aims to create a significant number of new Co-op branded stores under its franchise offering, as part of its plans to open 100 new stores in 2019. Co-op also provides a special discount scheme to students and through its membership scheme connects NUS members with the communities in which they are located, giving 1 per cent back to local community causes, and has already given £40m back to 16,000 local causes since 2016. With a Co-op Membership card, students also get 5 per cent back on purchases of Co-op products and services and TOTUM cardholders get an additional 10 per cent off their shop.

Martin Rogers, Head of New Channels at Co-op, said: “We are delighted to partner with a like-minded organisation, like NUS, and to support the health, wellbeing and employment of students. Young people are hugely important for us and we look forward to working closely with NUS members and serving campus communities up and down the UK.

“We’ve a strong track-record in delivering for our customers and we know that when we work together to achieve a common purpose, great things can happen. This is a pioneering opportunity to grow our brand, share our values, and get our products into the hands of the next generation of customers and members.”

The new stores will be run and managed independently by individual NUS members and will give access to a tailored range of 2,500 great value and quality Co-op own brand products, with a wide range of fair trade, free-from and vegan options. This agreement builds on the retailer’s strategy to get closer to communities and engage the next generation in the Co-op difference.

Erica Ramos, Vice President Union Development at the National Union of Students, said: “This new agreement with the Co-op builds on our existing relationship and the shared values that sit at the heart of the Co-op, NUS and students’ unions and associations across the UK.

“NUS Services was borne out of NUS members’ desire to better support students on and off campus. The agreement today follows other innovative, practical solutions, we’ve created with partners such as travel, insurance, discount cards, and online engagement platforms, all developed in response to student needs.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to strike this agreement with one of our long-standing partners and look forward to seeing these new franchises taken up by our members.”

To grow and compete Co-op is continuing to look at new channels to attract customers and is making it easier to shop with them through various delivery options including its online ordering, delivery bikes, pay in aisle and delivery robots.

For more information contact:

Kirsty Rushby
PR Manager, Co-op
07834 090 014

About NUS UK
The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of 600 student’s unions across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Through our members we represent, campaign on behalf of and support the interests of more than seven million students.

Working with more than 95 per cent of all higher and further education students’ unions across the UK our main purpose is to defend, promote and extend the rights of students to make a real difference to their educational experience. Our goal is a country where everyone can access and thrive in education regardless of their background, and a society where students are valued as active citizens.

As education policy is devolved in the UK, we deliver our democratic and student voice activities through NUS UK and our nation-based teams in NUS Scotland, NUS Wales and NUS-USI.

Through our teams in NUS Services and NUS Charity we help member students’ unions develop and build effective students’ unions for all learners. Working with commercial partners, such as Endsleigh and OneVoice, we ensure students’ money is reinvested back in the student movement.