That Poll For The Shopping Survey....

[10ClarionSt]

...on the opening page is interesting because of the absence of one retailer. There's 15 in the replies, but no-one has mentioned the Co-op. Back in the 1970's, the Co-op was the largest food retailer in the country. Just shows how much they've been overtaken since. 

[barry1010]

It was our only local supermarket in the 50s, I remember it opening. Next door there was a Co-Op butcher, then a Co-Op greengrocer and a Co-Op baker who delivered every morning. Our milkman was Co-Op.

A discreet distance away was the Co-Op funeral parlour.

In the 1980s an enormous Co-Op supermarket opened a few miles away selling everything including electricals and garden supplies.

Today my local Co-Op is small and food only. Decent enough but expensive 

[davebro3]

I can still remember my mum's Co-op divi number. 1711

[10ClarionSt]

I'm  no expert so don't know why they fell behind so much. One of the founding members of The Oldham Co-operative Society was a distant relative of mine, but as  you say Barry they did open a few of those Superstores, three of them round here at Sandbrook Park, Rochdale, Crown Square, Oldham and The Rock, Bury, all closed now. And my mothers' co-op divi number was 15456. Happy days! 😊

[barry1010]

My father worked for the Co-Op all his life, apart from the war years, so everything we had came from the Co-Op department store as well as our food 

[drmorgans]

According to Kanters:

Over the last decade the Co-op's market share has stayed around the same (5.5-6%). The big four have also lost market share, Morrisons more so (8.7% from 11.5%). Obviously Aldi and Lidl are the big gainers (4% to 10% and 3% to 8%).

 

[Hopkirk]

The Co-op also owns Nisa, who supply lots of independent shops.

[barry1010]

I didn't know that

[barry1010]

Bought out in 2017 by Co-Op. Don't think I've ever been in one

[youngmafbog]

I wouldnt bother.

[davebro3]

If seen NISA shops around, not been in one. SPAR seems to be the main player in that sector (around here anyway).

[davebro3]

I've not if

[cashier]

Is that poll now closed? I've not seen it before so wasn't able to answer.

[pastafreak]

I used to have 2 co-ops nearby. Then the closest one was sold to another chain, and then more recently it became a Morrisons Daily...horrible and expensive. At least co-op was decent quality. 

[jourdain2]

Morrison's is nowhere near what it was since it was sold off.  I saw Ken Morrison personally inspecting his market stalls in Rawson Market (Bradford) when I worked on another counter as a 16 yr-old. Out of loyalty and the fact that they still have good butchers, cheeses, fishmongers etc. we still shop there - but it is going downhill every week - new management obviously wants to phase out deli employees for example and it's starting to look like a wharehouse.

So, the Co-op.  They don't really want my card any more.  I must say that they are vastly improved over the last few years and more like the Co-op I grew up with.  They are just that bit more expensive - and I would have to find and use a separate butchers (even pricier).  I think they are the up-and-coming 'good' supermarket.

[10ClarionSt]

A bit late but thanks for those replies folks. Actually, back in the 70's I used to work for Spar and I remember our MD gathering us all together one time to inform us of big sales initiative that was intended to "steal" 1% from the leading retailer at the time, the Co-op. He said that the Co-op had 17% of the retail food market and Spar would be trying to "grab" 1% off them. Happy days!