East of England Co-operative Society Limited

Company type	Consumer co-operative
Industry	Food retail, funeral services, travel agents, security
Founded	1868 (Ipswich Industrial Co-op Society); 2005 (East of England Co-op Society)
Headquarters	Wherstead Park, near Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Revenue	£353.5 million (18/19)
Operating income	£4.953m (18/19)
Members	138,975 Active (18/19)
Number of employees	4,282 (18/19)
Website	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]

History

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]

Activities

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.^{[citation needed][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.

Membership

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.