The "Co-op" refers to supermarkets and convenience stores owned by a variety of local Co-operative societies but largely marketed and operated in a coordinated way across the United Kingdom.
The nationwide Co-operative Group, formerly the Co-operative Wholesale Society, owns many of its own supermarkets, as well as supplying goods wholesale to the majority of British co-operative societies, providing a common branding and logo. In various parts of the country, there are independent societies; for example, in the South West of England, the Plymouth and South West Co-operative Society owns a majority of the Co-op branded supermarkets.
As with all other co-operative businesses, customers of the Co-op supermarkets can become members of the co-operative society that owns the supermarket, which enables them to have some say in the operation of the business. The Co-op traditionally provided a dividend - the "divi" - for its member shoppers, which has recently been started again by several societies.
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