Kitchen Garden Forum

my Mum patronised the co-op like millions of others,collecting her "divvi" now the biggest farmers in Briton and ok with Fair trade issues and decent Banking. I say "right on" the co-op. Born out of a desire for fairness and continuing that aim. S.T. https://www.co-operative.co.uk/en/membership/
http://www.co-operative.co.uk/en/farms/history/
http://www.co-operative.co.uk/en/farms/ ... awberries/

A pat on the back for the Co-op then S.T, good job somebody is getting it right.

Speaking as a Co-Op banking customer I have to say that their banking arm is terrible. Their customer service is abysmal and security is a joke. I can't wait to leave......

As for the food, fair enough......no complaints there.

The Co-op in Rugby has just closed down to make way for a huge new redevelopment (Asda et al). However, I have to say that apart from the Toy Shop it was terrible. There was a huge furniture part and I recall walking in to look at a fireside chair to be totally ignored by the staff; they just kept chatting to each other. The food department was stocked OK but you didn't hang around as many of the customers and staff were all very "odd". It seemed like the dregs of society were wandering around with baskets (oh the smell) and the staff usually closed most of the tills at lunchtime leaving one dim girl who chewed wads of gum like a cow chewing the cud, to deal with the queue.

The butchers bit was quite reasonable.

I only ventured in as a last resort I'm afraid.

Hi ST,
In Hereford there is a Leo Supermarket which is part and parcel of the Co-op and I must say I have been most impressed with the quality of their produce. I very seldom shop in that neck of the wood but have been quite surprised at the strides they have taken from the Co-op of yesteryear. What was good was the selection of wines they had and the reasonable prices
for something similar in any of the other supermarkets would be considerably more.
As for banking I have not got the foggiest idea if they are up to par.
They certainly do farm very extensively and produce much of their own produce which must be a good thing.
JB.

They do seem to vary from town to town. I've been in some very good ones; just not in Rugby.

Our local CO-op is around 20% more expensive than Asda/Tesco etc...

madasafish wrote:Our local CO-op is around 20% more expensive than Asda/Tesco etc...

Whilst sad in one respect, it's also the reason why I try to use our local Co-op for small mid-week purchases & feul, rather than the Tescos which bought up the local convenience store. It's not that I'm rich, more that I don't want to see all the traders swallowed up by a few massive retailers.

As I'm sure other Market Gardeners & Farmers will say, "cheap" is ok when you're buying, but less good if you've got to make a living. Maybe value & sustainability are a better guide.


Colin

I would like to see them take the stand that M&S have against battery eggs in all own label products, if they are supposed to be so ethical. I have written to them but get the usual excuses.

Hi Mandylew, Ive just e-mailed the Co op rgds your post.I'll let you Know what if anything comes back. S.T.
p.s. seeds in the post.