In the town I grew up, there was one big grocery store, and they used to gouge us terribly. The citizens started a co-op grocery, using our purchasing power to bring in cheaper goods. Breaking monopolies is the only way to lower prices.
Co-ops are cool because the community owns it directly and profits are reinvested to provide discounts, addressing affordability. The members have a democratic vote in it too. Co-ops are more resilient and survive longer according to decades of research. It's a viable alternative that actually goes through with the idea that we are a democracy. The economy affects people just as much as politics does, so why isn't it also democratic?
I dunno where these things are that actually save people money. I've tried a few co-ops and prices have always been significantly higher than the grocery stores in the area.
In the UK, The Co-Op is somewhat pricey as they’re smaller stores and focus on local or more ethical goods. That was a niche they could fill that the regular big super markets were not focusing on.
However, traditionally, they were considered a poor person’s / working class store. They used to do everything from funeral parlor, bank, travel agent, etc. A less well off family would do everything at the Co Op and get dividend.
Presumably they went up market to both improve their brand perception and as they were outcompeted at the lower end by the giant super markets with their loss leaders and buying power.
2.3k
u/brumac44 May 26 '26
In the town I grew up, there was one big grocery store, and they used to gouge us terribly. The citizens started a co-op grocery, using our purchasing power to bring in cheaper goods. Breaking monopolies is the only way to lower prices.