Membership terms and conditions
These terms and conditions were last updated on 24 January 2024.
- About these terms and conditions
- How to become a Member a. Junior Members
- Your Membership card and account a. Temporary Membership cards
- How to manage your account and change your details
- Member Rewards a. Spending your Personal Member Rewards b. Donating your Personal Member Reward c. Expiration of Member Rewards
- Choosing a local cause
- Other Exclusive Member Benefits
- How to have a say in how we run our business
- How to receive a share of the profits (dividend) a. How to spend dividend vouchers
- What happens if you trade with independent co-operative societies
- Cancelling your Membership
- Refunds and returns a. Registering rewards and democratic points for things you’ve already bought
- Lost or stolen cards
- Changes to Member Rewards or terms and conditions
- Co-op Legal Service and your personal information
- Co-op Presale Ticket Offers
1. About these terms and conditions
When we say “we”, “us”, “our” or “Co-op”, we mean Co-operative Group Limited and, where the context requires, our subsidiaries from time to time. When we say “you” and “your”, we mean the Member whose name is on the front of their Membership card (or if it’s a temporary card, the person who picked it up and paid for it).
When we say “Member” we mean a person that is a registered member of Co-op in accordance with our Rules and Regulations.
When you use your Membership card you accept these terms and conditions.
As we’re a co-operative, you need to read these terms and conditions alongside our Rules and Regulations. When we refer to our “Rules” we mean the Rules of Co-op (which may change from time to time) and when we say “Regulations” we mean the Purchases Regulations of Co-op (which may change from time to time) and any other relevant regulations referred to in the Rules.
Where there’s a conflict or discrepancy between these terms and conditions and our Rules and Regulations, our Rules and Regulations come first. You can find our Rules and Regulations at www.co-operative.coop/investors/rules. If you'd like a copy of them you can contact us by post at Co-op Member Services, c/o RM Relay/eCourier, Unit 11 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Manchester, M12 6HH.
There are some words that we've capitalised in these terms and conditions. This is because they have a particular meaning which is set out in these terms and conditions or in our Rules. This includes Qualifying Purchases which are purchases that earn democratic points (that count towards your share of our profits) and other rights.
These terms and conditions together with the Rules and Regulations set out the rights you have as a Member under our Rules and the additional benefits you're entitled to under these terms and conditions.
When we talk about these rights and benefits in this document, we refer to it as the “scheme”.
There are three types of Membership card; physical, digital and key fob. When we refer to your “Membership card” through the terms and conditions we are referring to all three types of card unless specified.
When we talk about “Member Reward” we mean reward that we:
- a. gave back to you to spend at Co-op (we call this part of the Member Reward your “Personal Member Reward”), or
- b. gave to your community (we call this part of the Member Reward the “Community Member Reward”),
in each case, based on your eligible purchases.
When we use the words “eligible purchases”, we mean that when you bought certain products and services from us before 24 January 2024, we paid a Personal Member Reward to you and/or a Community Member Reward to your community. It depends on which of our businesses you bought from.
When we use the words “local cause”, we mean a registered charity (or other organisation) which benefits a local community and is looking to raise money to deliver a project in line with the criteria of the Local Community Fund.
When we use the words “cause” we mean either a local cause, or such other UK registered charity, including the Co-op Foundation, as we decide from time to time.
We use the word “community” to talk about the areas we set around one or more of our funeral homes and/or Food stores. When we talk about causes in “your community” in this document, this means local cause(s) in a community where you live.
2. How to become a Member
Anyone who shares our Values and Principles and wants to do business with us is welcome to join.
To become a Member, you must pay £1. That £1 buys you one share in Co-op.
You can apply to become a Member:
- by downloading the Co-op App from the App store
- by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership
- by picking up a temporary card in one of our Food Stores (take a look at section 3.a. on this)
When you apply to become a Member, we’ll ask you for some personal details including your full name, date of birth, home address, email address and how you’d like us to stay in touch. We’ll also ask you to set up a secure password for your online Membership account to help protect you against fraud.
We will never ask you for your password.
We'll use your email address to contact you for service matters regarding your Membership and for marketing if you’ve given us permission.
We'll keep all your personal details safe and only use them as outlined in our privacy policy: www.co-operative.coop/terms/privacy-policy
Once you’ve registered, you can start to benefit from being a Member. We'll use your email address to contact you for service matters regarding your Membership and for marketing if you’ve given us permission.
2.a. Junior Membership
If you’re younger than 16 you can only become a Member if your parent or guardian purchases a temporary card for you in store and then registers it by calling 0800 023 4708. You’ll then become a junior Member, which means you’ll be able to get the benefits under these terms and conditions and build up democratic points (and receive a share of our profits, if there are any). But you won’t be able to have a say in how our business is run (for example, voting at Co-op general meetings) or stand for election until you turn 16 (as set out in our Rules). You can get involved and provide feedback and/or participate in age-appropriate opportunities that can help shape our products and services.
3. Your Membership card and account
Once you've registered as a Member we’ll send you a Membership card. If you’ve registered with the app you will also have access to a digital version of your card. Your card proves that you’re a Member, so we may ask to see it when you do things like attend Co-op general meetings.
You can only have one Membership account at a time.
Your Membership card and any rewards you've built up in your Membership account, belong to us. We have the right to take them back (or change these terms and conditions) at any time. This is explained in section 14.
Your Membership card:
- isn't a credit card, cheque guarantee card, debit card or savings account card;
- must (in the case of a physical card) be signed by you (the person whose name is on the front of it)
- can only be used by you, for you;
- can't be used by a club, charity, trust, sole trader, partnership, company or any other kind of organisation or business; and
- cannot be used on multiple devices at the same time.
Your Membership account and any digital Membership card can only be accessed and used by you (the person registered on the Membership account).
You can't give or transfer your rights or duties as a Member to anyone else (for example, you can't give your Membership card to someone to earn your reward, benefit from exclusive Member deals, offers and prices or get democratic points).
You're responsible for keeping your Membership card and account safe. If you lose your card or someone steals your card and uses it or can access your Membership account, we’re not responsible for any losses or damages that happen as a result.
3.a. Temporary Membership cards
If you’re not already a Member, you can buy a temporary Membership card at any of our Food stores if you:
- agree to these terms and conditions; and
- share our Values and Principles (you can find these in our Rules).
A temporary Membership card costs £1 and has your temporary Membership number on it. You’ll need this to keep the Member Rewards you have earned when you bought the temporary Membership card and for when you trade with Co-op until your permanent card arrives.
When you register as a Member with your temporary card the £1 you paid for the temporary card will be used to pay for your share in the Co-op. If you decide not to register as a Member you can’t get your £1 back.
You can register your temporary card by:
- by downloading the Co-op App from the App store;
- by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership; or
- by phone: 0800 023 4708.
Once you've registered as a Member, we’ll send you a new Membership card with the same number as your temporary card.
You need to register to be a Member within 12 weeks of the first use of your temporary card. If you don’t register within 12 weeks of when you first used your temporary card, we will cancel it and you will lose any Member Rewards or other rights and benefits that you’ve earned by using it.
You can only have one temporary card at a time. If your card is lost, stolen or cancelled, you won't get back any of the Member Rewards or other rights or benefits you earned on the missing card or the £1 you paid for it. If your card is cancelled, we will use any Member Rewards towards the administration costs of the Membership scheme.
We may cancel your temporary Membership card at any time if you:
- haven't registered your card within 12 weeks of when you first used it;
- have died;
- are in breach of these terms and conditions; or
- have behaved in a way that is detrimental to the Co-op.
If you have a temporary Membership card, you'll start building up democratic points if you make Qualifying Purchases. But you won't be able to use your Member Rewards, select your personalised offers in the Co-op App or be entitled to other Membership rights until you’ve registered as a Member.
4. How to manage your account and change your details
You can access your Membership account to check your rewards and other rights you’ve built up by:
- downloading the Co-op App from the App store;
- visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership;
- post: Co-op Member Services, c/o RM Relay/eCourier, Unit 11 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Manchester, M12 6HH.
If you need to change your name or address or your preferences or otherwise manage your Membership account, this can be done via the website or postal address above.
If you’ve changed your details, you’ll need to give us your Membership card number or your name and postcode, so we can find your account. We’ll need to check your identity by asking you for some personal information. In some cases, we may also ask you for proof of your new name or address.
If someone uses your password or personal details to access your Membership account because you haven’t kept them safe we’re not responsible for anything that happens as a result.
5. Member Rewards
Until 24 January 2024, Members were able to earn Member Rewards when they bought selected Co-op branded products and services.
We no longer offer Member Rewards. Instead, we’re delivering value to Members in other ways including Member Prices across our family of businesses.
You can see the balance of any Member Reward you have available to spend:
- on your Food store receipt;
- by downloading the Co-op App from the App store; or
- by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership.
Any Personal Member Reward that you’ve earned is still valid, but must be spent before 31 December 2024.
5.a. Spending your Personal Member Rewards
Member Rewards have no cash value and you cannot swap Member Rewards for money.
To spend your Personal Member Reward, you must present your Membership card or give us your Membership number when you pay (depending on which Co-op business you’re buying from).
You can spend some or all your Personal Member Reward in any of these Co-op businesses:
- Co-op Food stores (including franchised stores from time to time);
- Co-op Legal Services on:
- Wills, Trust Wills and Lasting Power of Attorney (LPAs); and
- fixed price family services (pre-nuptial, co-habitation and separation agreements)
- Co-op Funeralcare – in any of our funeral homes or by phone: 0808 239 1438.
We may change participating Co-op businesses from time to time.
You cannot spend Personal Member Rewards:
- on home delivery fees or services;
- when purchasing Co-op products through Deliveroo or other third party platforms.
You can’t spend your Personal Member Reward with the following retailers, even though they may sell Co-op branded products:
- independent co-operatives, including Central England, Chelmsford Star, Southern and Midcounties;
- NISA stores; or
- any other retailers.
5.b. Donating your Personal Member Reward
You can choose to donate some or all of your Personal Member Reward at any time to be shared between all causes currently being supported by the Local Community Fund via www.coop.co.uk/membership or the Co-op App.
5.c. Expiration of Member Rewards
Any Personal Member Reward you’ve earned will expire on 31 December 2024.
6. Choosing a local cause
As a Member you can choose one of several local causes to benefit from our Local Community Fund by:
- downloading the Co-op App from the App store; or
- visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership.
The local cause may be in your community or located in another community. When we first register you as a Member or you change your address we'll automatically assign you to a community based on your postcode.
When you log on to your Membership account, you'll see a list of causes you can choose from. You can only choose one cause at a time.
By the end of the funding period (October 2024, but we may change this at any time) we provide a grant to each cause (or arrange for a third party to pay) in the Local Community Fund, depending on the amount of funding available in their community and the number of members that choose them.
At the start of each funding period we’ll let you know about the new causes available to choose from.
If you don’t choose a cause
If your cause stops being involved in the Local Community Fund for any reason (for example, if it ceases trading) before being paid, it won’t receive any of the Local Community Fund for that funding period. You can choose a different cause during the funding period.
7. Other Exclusive Member Benefits
Members receive other exclusive benefits from time to time, such as Member Prices or offers on selected products purchased from Co-op businesses.
Co-op Food in-store and online (including Franchised stores)
If you download the Co-op App or visit www.coop.co.uk/offers you can choose two personalised Member offers each week for products available in Co-op Food stores. Once chosen these offers will automatically be applied to your shop. New offers are available Monday mornings and offers expire 11.59pm Sunday. To find out more you can visit www.coop.co.uk/help-with-offers/how-offers-works
Member Prices are available on selected products in Co-op Food stores. These limited deals are subject to availability and can only be purchased when you use your Membership card. Prices may vary and, if we need to, we can cancel a deal at any time without notice.
Co-op Funeralcare
When you buy a funeral plan or arrange a funeral and present your physical Membership card (not your temporary card) you’ll benefit from exclusive Member prices on selected purchases as an upfront discount including:
- Our funeral services
- Direct cremation and burial services
- Memorial masonry products and services (but excluding third party costs)
- Qualifying additional products and services on children’s funeral arrangements
- Community funerals
- Pre-paid funeral plans bought directly from Co-op Funeralcare (this doesn’t include pre-paid funeral plans sold or referred to Co-op Funeralcare by a third party where you receive a discount (or similar) to them)
Member Prices may be able to be used in conjunction with other discounts or promotions, refer to the individual T&Cs of any discount or promotion to see if this applies.
Member Prices don't apply to:
- any fees we pay to other people for you (for example, cemetery fees, church fees, cremation fees, doctors’ fees and so on)
- funerals paid for by the Funeral Benefit Option through your insurer
- where you buy one of our funeral plans either from a third party or are referred to us by a third party
- contract funerals
- burial plots
- any products and services purchased through a sundry invoice separate to the funeral invoice
Co-op Insurance
From time to time we may have exclusive Member prices on selected products.
Benefits from Co-op Partners
From time to time, we may make arrangements with Co-op partners for those Co-op partners to offer Member Prices, offers, discounts or other benefits on the Co-op partner’s own products and services.
Any such benefit will (unless stated otherwise) be funded by that Co-op partner. If their business fails we don’t have to compensate you for any benefit which may not have been fulfilled by the Co-op partner. Purchases from Co-op partners don’t count as Qualifying Purchases.
8. How to have a say in how we run our business
Please note that this section applies to your democratic points and does not apply to your Personal and Community Member Reward or other member benefits
As a Member you’re entitled to democratically participate in our Co-op under our Rules in addition to the exclusive member benefits that you’re entitled to under these terms and conditions.
In order to earn democratic points, you need to make Qualifying Purchases. The points that you earn will count towards your eligibility to vote in our general meetings and stand for election in our Council or Member Nominated Director elections.
You can find out more about your eligibility to vote by visiting www.co-operative.coop/get-involved/voting.
To make sure your Qualifying Purchases are registered in your Membership account you must either present your Membership card or give us your Membership number whenever you make purchases from the relevant Co-op business.
Democratic points don’t have any cash value and you can’t cash them in.
Notwithstanding any other provision in these terms and conditions, if at any point during the Financial Year, it’s no longer possible (or becomes impractical) to calculate your democratic points, then we can make any adjustments to the basis for determining democratic points as we think appropriate.
At the end of each Financial Year your democratic points go back to zero and you start building up democratic points for the next Financial Year. Our Financial Year ends on the first Saturday in January each year.
If there are Profits Available for Distribution, Members may be paid a dividend (share of profit) in line with our Rules. If dividends are awarded they are calculated based on the democratic points you have earned in line with the Regulations. The number of democratic points you have determines how big your dividend payment will be (if there is one). For further details see our Rules and Regulations. You will only receive a dividend if you are a registered Member at the point the dividend is paid out.
If you live outside of the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands you can still make Qualifying Purchases.
9. How to receive a share of our profits (dividend)
If you’re due a dividend we can pay it directly into your bank account as long as you give us your bank details – or if you prefer we can send you vouchers instead. You can update your preferences by going online. But once you’ve switched to vouchers you can’t switch back again. If you stop being a Member for any reason before receiving your dividend you won’t get it.
You don’t have to pay income tax on payments we make to you through the scheme. If you complete a self-assessment tax return you don’t need to enter any payments we make to you through the scheme.
If your dividend works out to be less than £2 we’ll store up the balance in your Membership account until the next time you’re due a dividend. We won’t pay it out until it’s worth at least £2 (or such other amount as we decide from time to time).
We don’t have to accept that anyone apart from you has any right or interest in your dividend.
9.a. How to spend dividend vouchers
You can spend your dividend vouchers at the following businesses:
- Co-op Food (including any franchised stores from time to time);
- Co-op Funeralcare; and
- Co-op Legal Services.
But these may change, from time to time.
You must show us your Membership card or key fob when you spend your vouchers – and the number on the voucher must match the number on your card or key fob. We may also ask to see your ID.
We’ll give you any change due in cash when you use your vouchers with us.
Subject to any terms and conditions that they set from time to time you can also spend your dividend vouchers in certain independent co-operative businesses, these are:
- Central England Co-operative Limited; and
- Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited.
These independent co-operative societies won’t give you change if your vouchers are worth more than whatever you’re buying.
You can only swap your vouchers for cash at Co-op Food stores.
You must use your vouchers before they expire. Or you can send them back to us before they expire and we’ll renew them for you (send them to Co-op Member Services, c/o RM Relay/eCourier, Unit 11 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Manchester, M12 6HH). Once they’ve expired we won’t accept or renew them.
10. What happens if you trade with independent co-operative societies
You won’t receive exclusive Member benefits and you can’t spend your Member Rewards earned with us at any independent co-operative societies.
Although your digital Membership card won’t work in independent society stores, you can use your physical card and key fob card at some independent co-operative societies even though they aren’t part of our Co-op.
These are:
- Central England Co-operative Limited;
- Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited; and
- The Midcounties Co-operative Limited.
This list may change.
If the independent co-operative makes a dividend payment (which depends on the amount of profit they make), the dividend, which is allocated to all our Co-op Members, is paid to us. We will then pay out the right amount to you depending on the amount you have spent. This payment will show on your Membership account statement as "Independent Co-operative Societies".
Any points you get from independent co-operative societies don’t count towards a share of our profits or other rights.
11. Cancelling your Membership
If you are a fully registered Member (not a temporary card holder) you can cancel your Membership at any time by telling us, by:
- phone: 0800 023 4708; or
- post: Co-op Member Services, c/o RM Relay/eCourier, Unit 11 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Manchester, M12 6HH.
We can also remove or expel you from Membership as set out in our Rules.
If you stop being a Member for any reason we will:
- cancel your Membership of the Co-op and remove you from our Members register;
- Where applicable, repay your £1 Membership and any monies you have paid for additional shares;
- cancel any democratic points you may have earnt; and
- cancel any Personal Member Rewards you’ve earned and not yet spent.
12. Refunds and returns
If you buy goods or services from us and then return them for a refund (or cancel or change them in some way) we may take back some or all the democratic points and Member Rewards you earned on them (if any).
12.a. Registering rewards and democratic points for things you’ve already bought
If you don’t have your Membership card with you when you buy products and services from the Co-op, you may still get your democratic points if you register your purchases with us within a certain number of days, as follows:
- Co-op Food – you need to request a “forgotten card receipt” at the checkout, before you pay (you won’t be able to claim your points or rewards without it). Then register your shop online at www.coop.co.uk/membership within 14 days.
- Co-op Funeralcare – you cannot add points at a later date. You must show your physical Membership card when you buy a funeral plan or when arranging a funeral.
13. Lost or stolen cards (this section doesn’t apply to temporary cards)
If your Membership card is lost, you must tell us right away. You can do this online (through your Membership account). We will cancel your existing card and create a new one with a new number.
If we ask you for evidence you need to send it to: Co-op Member Services, c/o RM Relay/eCourier, Unit 11 Downing Street Industrial Estate, Manchester, M12 6HH.
We may pass on any useful or important information to the relevant authorities (e.g. the police) if we think it’s appropriate.
14. Changes to Member Rewards, Member benefits or terms and conditions
We have the right to change or cancel Member Rewards and/or any other Member benefits at any time.
We have the right to change these terms and conditions by giving you reasonable notice – for legal, regulatory, business or policy reasons. If you continue to use your Membership card after any change, this will be an acceptance of these new terms and conditions.
Your rights
The constitutional rights you have as a Member are governed by our Rules and Regulations which can be amended in accordance with our governance arrangements.
Third party rights
Only you and we have the right to enforce any of these terms and conditions under the Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
Law and where disputes would be settled
These terms and conditions (and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them) are governed by English law.
English courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions (including disputes around any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions).
15. Co-op Legal Services and your personal information
Co-op Legal Services need to tell us that you’ve become a client of Co-op Legal Services and the service you have bought so you can get your democratic points in connection with your purchase of legal services, as set out in these terms and conditions.
This information would normally be treated as confidential. You'll be asked if you’re happy for this to be passed to Co-op when you buy a legal service from Co-op Legal Services that is part of this scheme.
If you aren't happy for this information to be shared at the time that you buy services then you need to let Co-op Legal Services know and they won't tell us that you’re a client. If this is the case you won't get democratic points. This is a regulatory condition which Co-op Legal Services must comply with.
16. Co-op Presale Ticket Offers
Co-op is able to offer tickets for certain Events at Co-op Live arena to Members to buy before tickets for the Event go on general sale (“Presale Tickets”).
Full terms and conditions for Co-op Presale Ticket Offers can be found here.
These terms and conditions explain the basis on which Co-op makes those Presale Tickets available and, if you buy Presale Tickets, you agree to these terms.