Colleague membership policy

We're a different kind of business and as a member owner of our Co-op, you are part of something special. Not only do you have member economic value, as part member owner of our business you can have your say in lots of different ways, whilst creating social value for you and your communities. There are lots of benefits of being a Co-op member, including:

a share in Co-op
Member Prices and discounts in our food stores and across our family of businesses, such as Insurance, Funeralcare, and Legal Services
Personalised offers via the Co-op App and coop.co.uk/offers

And, if you decide to become a colleague member, you currently get:

30% off Co-op branded products in our food and franchise stores*
10% off other brands
Discounts across our family of businesses, including:
1. £400 contribution towards the cost of a funeral and £400 towards a funeral plan Discounts on Co-op Funeralcare
2. 10% off pet insurance or 12.5% off for an adopted pet
3. 10% off travel insurance (only available between 1 - 31 October)
4. 10% off life insurance (see separate offer for over 50s)
5. An exclusive price on over 50's life insurance
6. Discount off European breakdown cover, which also includes full UK and Homestart assistance
7. 10% off on probate and estate administration
8. 10% off single and mirror wills
9. 20% off trust wills and lasting powers of attorney (excluding digital lasting power of attorney service)
10. 10% off fixed fee family law services

*Discount is applied to the majority of our products, however some are exempt and there are exceptions when other promotions and offers are applied. Please see below for more information on how other promotional and member offers are applied.

Discount in food and franchise stores

All colleague members are entitled to 10% off all products. Current colleague members will receive an additional 20% off own-brand items at the end of the transation. Please see below on how other promotional and member offers are applied.

Fair Usage Check

To ensure that we can protect out colleague membership offer for years to come, we're applying a fair usage check to our policy. We'll monitor colleague member spending and if they meet a threshold, we'll carry out checks to ensure they're using their discount appropriately. If we suspect misuse, we will contact the colleague and, if necessary, cancel the card. We may also follow the disciplinary process if we believe discount has been misused.

The colleague membership discount card does not form part of a colleague/cardholder's contractual benefits/entitlements; discount is given entirely at the discretion of the Co-op. Colleague membership benefits and discounts are regularly reviewed and may be withdrawn or amended at any time at the discretion of the Co-op.

Member Price, Promotions and In-Store Offers

Our Member Proposition is constantly evolving and changing to the needs of our Member Owners. Member Prices are a big part of our food proposition.

We have to make sure we don't apply discount at a loss. On certain deals or Member Prices, discount stacking (where we add the colleague discount onto the member price) can sometimes mean that we end up selling items at less than the cost price. This isn't profitable and incurs benefit in kind costs for our Co-op, so there may be some instances where we must restrict the amount of discount we can give.

(Benefit in Kind if a charge placed on certain types of benefit, this is sometimes incurred by the colleague via P11d processes, or in some instances like here this would be incurred by the business.)

Discounts, Personalised Offers, and Online Orders

Personalised offers (those that colleagues can choose on their app) can be redeemed alongside colleague member discount. However, in the case of a spend threshold offer (e.g. £1 off £10), then the colleague member discount will be applied before the till checks whether the spend threshold has been met.

If the colleague member discount reduces the basket value below the spend required, the personalised offer won't be applied.

You can use your colleague member discount when buying groceries online at shop.coop.co.uk, either for home delivery or collection from your local food store. Just check the website to see if the service is available in your area.

Becoming a Colleague Member

You can become a colleague member if you are employed by either the Co-op, or the Co-op Academies Trust on either a fixed term or permanent contract. You can't become a colleague member if you're an agency colleague or a contractor.

By becoming a colleague member, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions set out in this policy.

If you don't have an existing Co-op Membership account and want to join as a colleague member, complete the online form.

If you are already a Co-op Member and want to upgrade to colleague membership, complete the colleague member upgrade form.

All members must be fully registered and have paid their full £1 membership fee to obtain the benefits of being a member and receiving the colleague discount.

If your colleague membership card is lost or stolen, or if there is a change in circumstances, request a replacement card using the online form.

Crucial Bits

It is important you understand how your colleague member owner cards can be used.

We want you to make the most of the available benefits and that is why Co-op has invested in our Colleague Membership offer.

Your colleague member owner card is for you and your nominated user benefit only. With this, you may nominate a member of your household to use your Colleague Member Discount Card who can shop on your behalf of your household.

The nominated user process will clearly link back to your colleague membership account so it's your responsibility to make sure the card is used appropriately and in line with policy, including when your nominated user is using the card. To nominate, please refer to the Nominated User Guide.

We take any misuse very seriously. Usage is regularly monitored including audits, spot checks and regular reviews. Suspected misuse will be investigated in line with the Co-op Disciplinary Policy.

We monitor use through:

Payment method checks- an unusual amount of different payment types swiped with the membership card
High value transactions
High volume transactions
Geographical indicators, such as high number of stores or unusual spread of stores where the membership card has been swiped in a short period

Colleague membership Terms & Conditions

By becoming a colleague member and by using your colleague membership card, you agree to the terms and conditions of being a Co-op member and to follow the terms and conditions of colleague membership as is set out in this policy.

Colleague membership, and the discounts and benefits it gives you are for your use only and must only be used on things you physically purchase for your own purpose.
You must not give, lend or sell your card to anyone else to use, or use your colleague membership to give discount to anyone else purchasing from the Co-op, including your physical or digital card or key fob other than for funeral and funeral plan discounts.
Colleague member discounts and benefits cannot be applied after the purchase
You must not buy things using your colleague membership to resell them. If you buy items in bulk, we may investigate this as it could be a sign that you're buying items for sale or for other people.
Your signature on your physical colleague membership may be checked when your buy something to confirm the card belongs to you. You must never let anyone e.g. customers or another colleague or friends use your colleague membership, app, number, or use and/or share it for you to earn benefits from their shopping.
Colleague member discounts will only be applied to your purchase if you are able to show your physical or digital card or key fob or provide your number when shopping online.
Colleague members are offered discounts on funerals and funeral plans for immediate family^. In this instance, it's okay to give your membership details to a qualifying immediate family member for them to purchase a funeral plan or funeral for another member of your immediate family.

^Funeralcare immediate family includes

A spouse or partner living at the same address
children, stepchildren, and adopted children (children under the age of 18 are free of charge, excluding third-party fees)
parents, stepparents, parents-in-law and stepparents-in-law
grandparents and step-grandparents
siblings and step siblings

Breach of any of the above terms and conditions is regarded as gross misconduct. If we suspect you have breached any of the above terms, your card could be cancelled and permanently removed, and the matter will be investigated in line with the Co-op disciplinary Policy, which could result in potential disciplinary sanction including summary dismissal.

Leaving the Co-op

Should you choose to leave the Co-op, regardless of the reason, your membership will be changed to a standard Co-op member status. You will no longer be able to benefit from the colleague benefits listed above. However, you will continue to have access to the other benefits of being a Co-op member.

Eligible Leavers & Colleague Member Discount

Colleagues who have more than 25 years' service at the point they leave our Co-op are eligible to keep the benefit of colleague membership at a rate of 10% off eligible products in store for up to 10 years from their leave date.

If an eligible leaver has not traded across any of our Co-op businesses in 6 months then their card will be deactivated and they will be changed to a standard Co-op member.

Eligible Leavers must also abide by the terms and conditions of this policy and ensure that their membership card is not shared or used by anyone but themselves. If misuse is suspected, Eligible Leaver Members will be reverted to a standard Co-op membership.