More than half of shoppers would be more likely to shop at The Co-operative Group’s food stores if it lowered its prices, the society’s long-awaited Have Your Say survey has revealed.
The survey, commissioned in February this year and completed by 180,003 people, found 53% of respondents wanted to see lower prices in food stores. Some 46% wanted more locally sourced products and support for local suppliers, and 42% wanted a better range of products.
Have Your Say also revealed 71% of people felt favourably towards The Co-op and 71% thought it was a business that tried to do the right thing.
However, only 32% thought The Co-op offered higher quality products than its competitors and only 26% thought the business embraced new technology.
Some 63% said they were not aware The Co-op was a financial supporter of The Co-operative Party, and 74% said it was inappropriate for big businesses to donate to political parties.
The Co-op said it planned to put the findings at the centre of its strategy to rebuild the business.
“The response to Have Your Say was overwhelming and the findings give us a great deal of encouragement and demonstrate the resilience of the Co-operative brand,” said The Co-op Group CEO Richard Pennycook.
“It is clear that the organisation has a special place in the hearts of the British public, who want it to thrive. They support our determination to provide a real alternative to big business, championing local issues in local communities. We are very grateful for this support.
“The Co-operative has come through a difficult period and we are now rebuilding the organisation, focused on delivering on our commitment to champion a better way of doing business for our customers and their communities with real change on the ground,” he added.
“The findings of Have Your Say give us a wealth of information and insight that will inform us in that work.”
No comments yet