British Co-operative Movement - Retailers'

Retailers'

Retailers' co-operatives (not to be confused with retail consumer co-operatives, above) provide marketing and wholesaling services to retail businesses.

• Independent retail consumer co-operatives are corporate members of The Co-operative Group, a secondary co-operative. The Co-operative Group manages the Co-operative Retail Trading Group, servicing 3200 food stores, including its own and those of its corporate members. The Group also provides other collective buying, marketing and distribution functions.
• Members of the Arizona hoteliers' marketing association, Best Western, have 280 hotels in the UK, as of 2008.
• UK retailers' and wholesalers' association, Nisa-Today's, organises along co-operative lines. As of 2008, Nisa-Today's represents 300 wholesalers and 674 retailers, with 5000 convenience stores and small supermarkets, including the Costcutter symbol group.
• The Dutch association of retailers and wholesalers, SPAR, is very similar to Nisa-Today's, but its UK membership is smaller. As of 2008, SPAR members have 2500 outlets in the UK.
• Most retail florists are members of Interflora, a former co-operative that demutualised in 2006 (when it was acquired by its United States affiliate, Florists' Transworld Delivery.)