23 August 2004

The Co-Op

Every other day I haul my little plaid bag on wheels down to the Co-Op grocery store, Hadleigh’s only super market.  The Co-Op is a marvelous idea.  It all started over 150 years ago when a group of 28 weavers working the cotton mills in Rochdale, England decided to pool their resources to create a store where they could afford to buy groceries. 

Those early pioneers were committed to economic democracy. Each member of the co-op had only one share and one vote, so every member family had a say in the decisions made in the business. The Co-OP wrote down their democratic principles, which were then used by other stores. The number of co-op stores grew quickly, and by 1900, over 1,700,000 people in England belonged to a co-op. 

Members today come from every walk of life, but somehow the poor Co-Op just hasn’t been able to keep pace with the times.  They have recently enlarged the store so that it is about the size of a small Kroger’s.  It is nice to have a bigger store, but they don’t seem to be adding any more products.  In the first two months after moving into the newest portion of the store, they still haven’t figured out how to fill up all of the shelves.

Part of the problem is how they seem to think about their products.  For example, in England they have a terrific Greek yogurt.  I eat this stuff every single day when I can get it.  Most of the time the Co-Op just don’t have any.  I did complain, but they explained there was simply not enough space on the shelves to stock more.  Now they have plenty of space , but they still order the same amount.  Plus, the yogurt doesn’t always arrive (or is not ordered ).  When I complain now, the dairy manager just looks totally confused.  I suspect she is thinking, “Why should I order more than 6?  We only sell 6.  We have only ever sold 6.”  Of course the fact that they only sell 6 because they only ever have 6 (and might sell 50 if they ordered 50) never enters her mind. 

The Co-Op is one of those great British institutions that everyone loves to complain about – but they would miss it terribly if it was gone.  And this one might just disappear if the politicians have anything to say about it.

There has been a long battle waged by Tesco (the huge supermarket chain that is so large it is estimated that 2 in every 8 pounds spent in this country is spent at Tesco).  Well, Tesco wants to build a supermarket here in town and, despite a huge amount of local opposition, they seem to be getting the support of the politicians.  Study after study shows that when Tesco builds a store in a town like Hadleigh, they destroy the downtown (they just can’t compete against the “big boys.”)

So the debate rages on.  Tesco is successful because they give good service, low prices, and have a huge selection of the things people want to buy.  The Co-Op gives lousy service and can’t seem to get their act together when ordering Greek yogurt (among other things).  Yet there is a price to be paid as well…a really big price.

Hadleigh’s small town charm with quaint local butcher and bakery shops, the streets filled with hundreds of people walking from shop to shop, and fresh produce at the open air market is what keeps this place from becoming just another crowded parking lot.  Most small English towns don’t have any shops now and have to drive long distances to shop.

I hope they keep Tesco out of Hadleigh.  And I really hope the Co-Op will get their act together and order more stuff because I am going to keep shopping there.  The support of local growers and producers makes good economic sense.  Who said you can’t have your Greek yogurt and eat it too?