| Tamworth Co-operative Society Limited | |
| Image Alt: | Tamworth Co-operative Society headquarters |
| Former Name: | Tamworth Industrial Co-operative Society Limited |
| Type: | Consumer co-operative |
| Industry: | Retail and funeralcare |
| Founded: | in Tamworth |
| Hq Location: | 5 Colehill, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England |
| Revenue: | £23,392,000 (2019) |
| Assets: | £13,681,000 (2019) |
| Equity: | £2,380,723 (2019) |
| Members: | 20,193 (2019) |
| Num Employees: | 283 |
| Website: | tamworth.coop |
Tamworth Co-operative Society Limited is a small independent consumer co-operative in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. The co-operative operates a department store, supermarket, 11 convenience stores, and eight funeral care locations, with over 20,000 members and an annual turnover in excess of £23m.[1] [2] [3]
Arising from a sense of fair play, a meeting was held at the Victoria Road schoolroom in Tamworth on 13 November 1886, where it was proposed that "a co-operative society be formed in Tamworth". The motion was unanimously carried and the society began trading from a modest rented cottage on 10 December. On 15 March 1887 the society was legally incorporated as the Tamworth Industrial Co-operative Society Limited. The co-operative celebrated its centenary in 1986, when membership passed the 35,000 mark.[4] In 2021 the society announced plans to close its department store, with it being turned into a business centre and college.[5]
As a consumer co-operative the society is owned by its members, who are both customers and shareholders. Through the co-operative principle of one member one vote the society is governed by a member-elected board of directors alongside annual general meetings.[6] The society is a member of Co-operatives UK, The Co-operative Group and the Federal Retail and Trading Services food buying group.