OVERVIEW

Co-ops are owned and run by their members, who can be customers, employees or groups of businesses.

Co-operative businesses are run on principles of shared ownership, shared voice & shared profits.

Examples of co-operatives:

• The supermarkets-to-funerals Co-op Group is the biggest, followed by the John Lewis Partnership (including Waitrose)
• Farmers’ co-ops are also popular in the UK – a good example is ARLA foods
• Other co-ops include community pubs, supporter-run football clubs and many foster care and local childcare providers.
• Credit unions are becoming more popular in the UK

Credit unions

• Credit unions are a loans and savings co-operative
• In the UK, credit unions are regulated by the Financial Services Authority
• Members normally have a 'common bond' to make them eligible for membership such as place of location, membership of a church
• There are over 110 million members of credit unions in the USA