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The new stores will be both Co-op and franchise-run, building on an increase in franchises in 2024, including on more university campus sites, a first Co-op in a hospital as well as on petrol forecourts. Matt Hood, Co-op’s managing director, said: “We want everyone to have easy and convenient access to a Co-op store, wherever they live, and this year we are completely focused on achieving that through an ambitious and exciting new stores strategy. “Not only are we a membership organisation owned by our six million members, we are experts in convenience shopping, where we combine great quality products, value and deals and ethical retailing with quick online delivery services, community participation and additional customer services.
” The first new Co-op stores to open in early 2025 will be in Salford and Newcastle Upon Tyne. The Co-op also announced plans to install up to 76,000 solar panels on up to 700 of its sites over the next three years. A competition watchdog has found that while supermarket loyalty prices do offer “genuine savings” they are not always the cheapest option.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that after analysing 50,000 loyalty-priced products, it found 92% offered savings on the usual price. And customers can make savings of up to 25% by buying loyalty priced products, according to the regulator. But it stressed that while they offer “legitimate” discounts, supermarket customers could still find cheaper alternative options by shopping around.
The CMA analysed the loyalty pricing of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Co-op. George Lusty, interim executive director of consumer protection, said: “We know many people don’t trust loyalty card prices, which is why we did a deep dive to get to the bottom of whether supermarkets were treating shoppers fairly. “After analysing tens of thousands of products, we found that almost all the loyalty prices reviewed offered genuine savings against the usual price – a fact we hope reassures shoppers throughout the UK.
“While these discounts are legitimate, our review has shown that loyalty prices aren’t always the cheapest option, so shopping around is still key.” Sue Davies, head of food policy at consumer group Which?, said while the findings were “reassuring”, it still had concerns over the practice of loyalty pricing. She said: “Which? has also looked at prices for thousands of products and repeatedly found examples of loyalty price offers that aren’t as good as they seem.
“We have also raised concerns that millions of consumers are being excluded from accessing lower prices due to loyalty scheme restrictions. “It’s therefore essential that supermarkets act on the CMA’s recommendation and do more to enable people to join their schemes.”.
