Eligible Leavers discount

As part of our work around Member Offers, Member Prices and Colleague Discount, we’re looking to make sure that our offers are sustainable, and that it’s genuinely our Colleague Member Owners and Eligible Leaver Member Owners who are benefitting from it. To support this, we made changes to our Colleague Member Discount Policy.

The below details the changes for Eligible Leavers.

What was an Eligible Leaver (before 1 May 2025)?

We recently changed the criteria for who is entitled to benefits as an Eligible Leaver, however this did not impact former colleagues who left our Co-op before those changes were made. Under the previous policy an Eligible Leaver is someone who left and met one of the following criteria

• Over 50 years of age with 25 or more years’ service

• Over 55 years of age with 10 or more years’ service

If you left under that criteria then you have been identified as an Eligible Leaver.

What is now an Eligible Leaver (after 1 May 2025)?

To be eligible, leavers now need to have 25 years’ service (regardless of their age on leaving)

What is the level of discount?

Eligible Leavers are now able to benefit from 10% off eligible products within our Food stores alongside the offers and promotions you can take advantage of as a member of our Co-op, trading across our family of businesses.

Eligible Leaver – Terms and Conditions

Alongside our broader terms and conditions, the following also apply to Eligible Leavers

• To retain the discount, you must purchase products from our Food business within a rolling 6-month period – if you don’t shop in a Food store for 6 months the discount will be removed. This tells us the benefit is no longer being used and becomes inactive. In the event of your benefit expiring, your membership will be converted to standard Co-op membership.

• A new expiry date of 10 years will apply. This means your access to the discount will expire on 30 September 2035 (if you continue to shop with us, as outlined above)

• Only you may benefit from the discount you receive to buy products for the household to use. You are not permitted to share your Eligible Leaver Card with anyone.

The colleague membership (including Eligible Leaver) 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 Colleague membership benefits and discounts are regularly reviewed and may be withdrawn or amended at any time at the discretion of Co-op.

FAQs

Q: Why has the discount changed?

A: We need to ensure that our Colleague Member Owner discount is affordable and sustainable. To enable us to be able to continue to offer Eligible Leavers access to discount we need to return the level of discount we offer to 10% across all eligible products.

Q: Why do we not have partner cards for eligible leavers?

A: Under our policy it is only Eligible Leavers that are able to keep access to our colleague member owner discount. Partner cards of Eligible Leavers have been deactivated.

Q: What if I can’t get to my local store?

A: Your discount can be used online. This supports those who may not live close to a store or those that might not be able to get to a store for health reasons. Please note, discount isn’t itemised when you shop online so you will see a ‘total discount received’ line at checkout. This will include your discount, member offers and wider promotions. Please see the broader Colleague Member Discount Policy for further details.

Your Membership can also be linked to our delivery partners Deliveroo and Uber eats, through this you will be able to get access to our Member Offers and Aldi Price Match offers.

Q: Why will cards expire?

A: We need to make sure that the benefit is being used by those it is intended for and, for Eligible Leavers, that they’re still able to use and have need for the benefit. An Eligible Leaver may no longer need it if:

• Their circumstances have changed, they no longer reside in the UK or in an area where they have a Co-op store local to them or they’re no longer able to get to store

• They have passed away

This will help us make sure that if an Eligible Leaver no longer needs the benefit, we can turn off the colleague member discount at the earliest opportunity to prevent the risk of misuse.

Access to our Colleague Member Discount will continue for the next 10 years as stated above. If you don’t shop in a Food store in any 6-month rolling period, the discount will be removed and the card converted to standard Co-op Membership

Q. What do you mean by ‘actively shopping’?

A: Actively shopping or trading means making purchases of our products within our Food stores and swiping your membership card so you can receive your membership benefit and we know it’s you. If you’ve not made any purchases in any rolling 6-month period this tells us the benefit is no longer being used and becomes inactive. We will then convert your card to a standard Co-op Membership.

Q: What happens if my card has expired as I didn’t realise I hadn’t shopped in 6 months?

A: If the membership has expired due to not actively shopping in one of our Food stores or online, we can reinstate your Eligible Leaver status if;

• You contact within 1 month of the rolling 6-month period ending, and
• You can evidence that you still need the benefit and will be able to shop in store, online or across our other channels within the 6-month rolling period.

We can’t reinstate the benefit your membership if the 10-year expiry date has passed

Q: Do these changes impact any other benefits that I had when I left Co-op?

A: No, this change only affects Colleague Member Discount.

Q: I still have a query about Colleague Member Discount, who can I contact?

A: Please make sure that you have read the information within this document and the attached Colleague Member Policy for broader T&Cs. If you still have a question, please contact our CBS teams via our webform or 03306061011.

Co-operative Group Limited is a society registered in England (no 525R). Our registered office is 1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG. © Co-op 2025.