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East of England Co-operative Society

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East of England Co-operative Society Limited
East of England Co-op
Formerly
  • Ipswich Co-operative Society Limited (1886–1993)
  • Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society Limited (1993–2005)
TypeConsumer co-operative
IndustryFood retail, funeral services, travel agents, security
Founded3 March 1868; 158 years ago (1868-03-03)
HeadquartersWherstead Park, Suffolk, England
Key people
Andy Rigby (CEO)
Revenue£395 million (2023)
Members97,581 Active (2025/26)
Number of employees
3,000 (2026)
Websiteeastofengland.coop
Footnotes
[1]

East of England Co-operative Society Limited,[1] trading as East of England Co-op,[2] is the third largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom after The Co-operative Group and Central England Co-operative. It is a registered society[1] with its headquarters at Wherstead Park, near Ipswich and trading in the eastern counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.[3] The Society is the area's largest independent retailer.[4]

History

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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).[5] The Colchester and East Essex Society was founded as Colchester Co-operative Society in 1861, expanding through merger with the following co-operative societies:[6]

SocietyEstablishedTransferred
Tiptree Self Help18951921
Clacton1931
Coggeshall Heart-in-Hand1945
Harwich, Dovercourt and ParkestonMarch 1967
MaldonNov. 1967
WithamJune 1970
Earls ColneAug. 1970

Activities

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East of England Co-op food store in Coggeshall, Essex
Photograph of an East of England Co-op Funeral Services office in West Mersea, Essex
East of England Co-op Funeral Services office in West Mersea, Essex

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 agents and a security business called Co-op Secure Response.[7]

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.[8][9][10] 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.

In 2020, the East of England Co-op launched the Community Cares Fund which gives grants to initiatives that address the theme of 'community cohesion and integration' within its trading area[11].

Membership

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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.

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 "East of England Co-operative Society Limited". Mutuals Public Register. Financial Conduct Authority. 3 March 1868. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Privacy Policy". East of England Co-op. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Scialom, Mike (30 August 2023). "East of England Co-op opens first Cambridgeshire store in Waterbeach". Cambridge Independent.
  4. ↑ Hill, Jessica (28 November 2018). "REVEALED: the top 100 companies in Suffolk". East Anglian Daily Times.
  5. ↑ A brief history of the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society Archived 27 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine East of England Co-operative Society (retrieved 3 September 2009)
  6. ↑ A brief history of Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society Archived 1 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine East of England Co-operative Society (retrieved 3 September 2009)
  7. ↑ "East of England Co-op - Why we do what we do". East of England Co-op. 12 August 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Co-operative Motor Group Citroen King's Lynn". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  9. ↑ "Co-operative Motor Group Peugeot Norwich". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  10. ↑ "Co-operative Motor Group Peugeot King's Lynn". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  11. ↑ "Community Cares Fund". East of England Co-op. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
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