Quick facts about co-ops

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Two members of Ceramics Co-op

Did you know there are 14 million co-op members in the UK? That’s equivalent to a fifth of the population. There’s a global movement that all co-operatives across the world are part of. Here’s just a few quick facts…

 Quick facts about co-ops

  • There are 3 million co-ops around the world – with 1.2 billion members.
  • That means 12% of the people on Earth are part of a co-op.
  • In the UK, more than 7,000 co-ops contribute over £40bn to the economy
  • 14 million people in the UK are members of a co-op
  • Co-ops employ 280 million people across the globe – that 10% of the world’s employed population.
  • Co-ops are resilient – in the UK, 72% of co-ops survive the first five years of business compared to 43% of companies.
  • Co-ops contribute to the production of many high street brands, for example, the wheat used in Warburtons bread comes from UK co-op Openfield.
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Being a member of a co-op, I feel I want to do more for the community and society. It’s rewarding using technology to make a difference for good – and I want to keep on doing it.
– Amil Vasishtha, project manager, Outlandish
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