| East of England Co-operative Society Limited | |
| Type: | Consumer co-operative |
| Foundation: | 1868 (Ipswich Industrial Co-op Society); 2005 (East of England Co-op Society) |
| Location: | Wherstead Park, near Ipswich, Suffolk, England |
| Key People: | Doug Field, OBE (Chief Executive Officer) |
| Revenue: | £395 million (2023) |
| Num Employees: | 3,556 (2024) |
| Members: | 177,000 Active (2023) |
| Industry: | Food retail, funeral services, travel agents, security |
| Homepage: | www.eastofengland.coop/ |
The East of England Co-operative Society is the fourth largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom after The Co-operative Group, The Midcounties Co-operative and Central England Co-operative. It is a registered society[1] with its headquarters in Wherstead, near Ipswich and trading in the eastern counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.[2] The Society is the area's largest independent retailer.[3]
See also: History of the cooperative movement. The East of England Co-operative Society is an amalgamation of smaller societies from across East Anglia which have joined together over the years. Most recently, the Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society merged with the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society in 2005.
The consumer co-operative movement has its roots in the early part of the nineteenth century and the principles of self-help and social equity that developed during the Victorian era. The first successful retail co-operative was established in 1844 by the Rochdale Pioneers. The Ipswich and Norwich Society was the product of an amalgamation, in 1993, of the Ipswich Co-operative Society (known as the Ipswich Industrial Co-operative Society from 1868 to 1968 and incorporating, since 1991, the engagements of the former Stowmarket Society, established 1889) and the Norwich Co-operative Society (formed in 1858).[4] The Colchester and East Essex Society was founded as Colchester Co-operative Society in 1861, expanding through merger with the following co-operative societies:[5]
| Society | Established | Transferred |
|---|---|---|
| Tiptree Self Help | 1895 | 1921 |
| 1931 | ||
| Coggeshall Heart-in-Hand | 1945 | |
| March 1967 | ||
| Nov. 1967 | ||
| June 1970 | ||
| Aug. 1970 | ||
The East of England Co-op’s principal business activities are food retailing, funeral services and management of its investment property portfolio. They also have interests in petrol forecourts, travel, events and conferencing, security, and stonemasonry.[6]
It previously ran a dairy with doorstep deliveries, but this was sold to Dairy Crest in early 2008 and their department stores and a jewellery store were sold to Vergo Retail in 2009. In 2010 their car dealerships were also sold to various owners.[7] [8] [9] In early 2019 the Society sold its pharmacy and optical businesses.
The Society is a corporate member of the Co-operative Group, sourcing its food through the national buying programme, the Co-operative Federal Trading Services.
Customers and employees who join the co-op as members receive a dividend card, which when presented at transaction enables them to receive points. These points are then allocated a monetary value, decided by the board and based on the organisation's profits that year.
Membership is open to all customers, colleagues and communities in the East of England Co-op's trading area. Members receive a share in the profits and in 2021 more than £1.8 million was issued as dividends.