What is everyone's experience and opinion on the prices at Co-op?
Posted by mybrainat3am@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 36 comments
I'm a 15 year old, and was very surprised to learn that co-op is considered a very expensive place to shop (not m&s expensive but still) as I have always found it reasonable. For context, I go to school in a small rural Scottish town, with a co-op and Tesco express, and we often go there for lunch. For me, I've found the coop is significantly cheaper. Like for me to get a pack of crisps and a can of juice and a croissant from the bakery section, it's 3.05 at my Tesco, but 2.85 at coop, and then with the young Scot it's 2.57 (10% off). Even when my mum buys some stuff midweek she'll go to coop over Tesco's beacause it's cheaper, but people from other area often claim it's really expensive, is my area just an exception?
Extreme_Contact_269@reddit
From my experience it is near double price on most items. The card reduces to still expensive prices. A small number of deals are on par with other supermarkets. Avoid co op if you can.
durkheim98@reddit
Both stores are charging an excess for the convenience but for Co-Op it's their business model as they don't do large superstores. A big Tesco will probably be cheaper but they're also taking the piss with their Clubcard nonsense these days.
I wouldn't shop at either.
txe4@reddit
Yup. They do the 'convenience store' thing like every other operator does but their MO is to squat on the biggest/best site in a small town where there's no possibility of a larger retailer moving in or getting planning permission.
Then they can charge their super-inflated prices and know they have a captive market of all the locals who don't drive or are in a rush.
Smear the whole thing in a thick layer of "we're a CO OPERATIVE luvvies, we're for the people" and greenwash bullshit and the monopoly profits keep rolling in.
Extreme_Contact_269@reddit
You are right. I moved into a scots village and there is a co op on the outskirts next to a large school. Prices are very high compared with tesco and aldi etc. I try to do a weekly shop at aldi but there are others who just pay the rip off prices.
yolo_snail@reddit
My nearest Co-op is now a Nisa, and the prices went from being expensive, to fucking ridiculous.
ProsperityandNo@reddit
It's expensive. Go to Lidl or Aldi instead. Also, that isn't lunch, that's junk.
mybrainat3am@reddit (OP)
Mate, I'm recovering from an eating disorder. Everyone around me is just glad I'm eating, also the crisps were baked, which is marginally better..
pintperson@reddit
If you get a membership card there are some really good savings to be had. But it’s not the sort of place you can go with a shopping list because items are more expensive than elsewhere.
But when they have member offers they’re cheaper than anywhere else. Like the one where you can get 2 pizzas, 2 sides and 4 bottles of beer for £5.
Miserable-Ad7835@reddit
The membership card is bollocks, you pay for a card that you can only use at certain stores.
pintperson@reddit
That’s right about the membership cards can only be used at certain shops. However mine was free and it’s for the Southern Co-Op which is a 2 minute walk from home so works well for me.
RyH1986@reddit
Last summer they did 2 large pizzas and a tub of Ben and Jerrys for £4 for members. Filled up my freezer
notouttolunch@reddit
I won’t even pay the entry fee.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
We have a little co-op and it is hit and miss, for some items it is outrageous and for others it rivals a normal supermarket. I'd never go in with a full shopping list. Not good for fresh meat at all. Pretty much just a milk, bread, butter and if a pantry item randomly is £3 rather than an expected £1 then I'll pass or pick around it.
realitychecks-r-us@reddit
If you’re comparing it to Tesco Express then yeah it’s fine. But it’s dear compared to a big Tescos, or any other big supermarket. I grew up in a very small town where the Co op was the only food shop, and you had to drive 20 minutes away to go to a big supermarket (or a 40 minute bus ride, with one bus an hour and none on Sundays), and yeah, if you’re buying actual groceries and household essentials from there rather than just meal deals then it gets pretty dear.
bucketofardvarks@reddit
I wouldn't do a weekly shop there but I buy this and that from the co-op, with the understanding I'm paying a premium because I can walk there in less than 10 minutes whereas it's at least a 10 minute drive to any other supermarket (~40 mins walking each way)
LordSolstice@reddit
The co-op isn't a single entity like Tesco or Sainsburys is, it's a collection of lots of smaller cooperatives. So there will be a fair bit of variance in stock and pricing from region to region and town to town.
That said, the co-op is a convenience store rather than a supermarket and they generally tend to focus on fair trade and good ethical practices. So there prices are more expensive than elsewhere, but I don't think they're unreasonably expensive.
Little known "lifehack" for the co-op: If you're a student, young person, OAP etc. You might find you can get a special membership from your local cooperative that gives you a discount (they rarely advertise these are available). Likewise, if you're just a regular Joe, you can often get a discount for becoming a member/shareholder.
mybrainat3am@reddit (OP)
Yeah, with a young Scot card (available to everyone under idk if it's 25 or 22 you get 10% off at all co-ops which is really good)
No_Potato_4341@reddit
I think they're a bit overpriced but not the worst shop for it.
Dimac99@reddit
I'm just upset that my wee local Co has stopped stocking their premium own range shawarma crisps. I know the world is going to hell in a hand basket, at least the bits that aren't going to be underwater thanks to the melting icecaps, but damn it, those crisps made any day I tasted them a good day.
mantsy1981@reddit
Food is expensive everywhere these days, I find co-op to be more expensive than most places when I occasionally go there though.
MomentoVivere88@reddit
Coop dividend card is great for points but also do offers. I got half price entry to a local wildlife park last year. They are expensive generally than other grocery shops, but I also find the quality of some items much better Coop ham is far superior to Tesco's!
isabellelaneldn@reddit
The co-op is the worst supermarket in the UK. There is nothing that is a fair price. It has no nice fresh food. The stores are always chaotic. There is no customer service the branding and the plastic bags suck. Any other shop is better.
Spottyjamie@reddit
Its expensive but theyre open when others arent so i see it as a convieneance charge
paulbamf@reddit
Buy 3 bananas and tell me Co-op is cheaper than tesco. Bananas will be 30p in tesco and £1 in co-op
Most_Imagination8480@reddit
There's 5 within 1 mile of here. The two larger ones are comparable to Tesco.. The little ones are extortionate. Exen though there's a little one 100m away I'll drive 3 miles to Aldi rather than that one. I still think that's better value.
tmstms@reddit
Tesco Express (And the local branches of big supermarkets are more expensive, sometimes much more expensive, than a big Tesco etc.
The convenience food and "meal deal" market you are talking about it is also a very small part of most people's food shopping.
People say the Co-op is expensive because they are comparing it to Aldi, Lidl and to big supermarkets out of town.
hitiv@reddit
Tesco express is also more expensive than a regular tesco. these shops are for convenience and that's why they are more expensive. i wouldnt do my weekly shop there and would only pick up bits if i need them but as i live close to an aldi i will always pick up grocery related products from aldi. we have a morrison daily nearby which is just like the tesco express/coop, prices are higher but it is meant to be convenient. A loaf of bread can cost £2 when aldi would charge a quid for the same loaf. a pack of wraps is £1.90 when i would pay less than a pound in aldi. if i need more than a few things i will always go to aldi as it will be a fair bit cheaper
zone6isgreener@reddit
You are probably unlucky in that the small branch of tesco will be charging more as it's a small one in a small town whereas people in the bigger places have more choice so they have to price better.
buginarugsnug@reddit
Compared to going to an Aldi or a big Asda, yeah it's expensive. If I drive to Aldi, I can get a certain small list of things for about £7. If I walk over to the co-op, its £20. Tesco Express' are quite expensive these days and so are pretty in-line with co-op prices.
Acceptable-Music-205@reddit
If places do a £3.something meal deal I’m all for it, plus some good ol’ yellow label discounts of course
I have co-op cards, club cards etc - unpopular with some but frankly I don’t care if they know I like custard creams
P2P-BSH@reddit
Pricier but you pay for the convenience.
Craft_on_draft@reddit
There may be some regional pricing, I am not sure, but, the coop is a convenience shop more than a supermarket so, the prices are inflated.
knightsbridge-@reddit
When you're looking at supermarket prices, you need to remember that little "convenience shop" style places (like the co-op, tesco express, morrisons local, etc) tend to be more expensive than proper big supermarkets (e.g tesco extras). You're paying for the convenience of having it close to your house.
Co-ops are almost always little "convenience shop" models - they don't do many big supermarkets. This is why they have a reputation for being expensive. When you examine prices at Tesco, you can go to the cheapest possible Tesco (e.g. Extra) and use the prices from there.
Look at this comparison from last year. They bought the same basket of shopping from all listed supermarkets and compared the price of the basket.
cyclingisthecure@reddit
If you see somebody nipping into the co op after picking up their takeaway for a bottle of wine and a few bits you know they are a millionaire
Alert-Performance199@reddit
It's pricier than larger supermarkets, but similar to the smaller metros and locals.
some things obviously cheaper with the co op membership
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