OurCoop named finalist in two Retail Industry Awards categories
We're thrilled to share that OurCoop has been named a finalist in two categories at the 2026 Retail Industry Awards.
The Society has been shortlisted for Community Retailer of the Year and Best Use of Technology, recognising our commitment to supporting local communities while using innovation to create a better experience for our members.
Being recognised in two categories reflects the many ways OurCoop is working to make a positive difference, both inside our stores and beyond them.
Community Retailer of the Year
As a co-operative owned by more than one million members, supporting local communities is at the heart of everything we do.
The Community Retailer of the Year shortlist recognises the wide range of initiatives that help tackle the issues that matter most to the people and places we serve. From creating pathways into employment through programmes such as Fairer Futures, Fairer Access to Work and Bright Future, to supporting schools, charities, food banks and local good causes, we're committed to creating lasting social impact.
Over the past year alone, colleagues have contributed more than 1,500 volunteering days, we've worked alongside more than 1,000 local charities and community organisations, redistributed 2.4 million food items through our partnership with Olio, and helped Members donate more than £500,000 to local good causes and our charity partner, Samaritans.
Best Use of Technology
Our second finalist place recognises Reward ££s, the biggest transformation of OurCoop membership in our history.
Developed after listening to feedback from more than 20,000 members, Reward ££s was created in partnership with fellow co-operative Lobyco/Co-op Denmark, giving members greater flexibility and control over how they benefit from shopping with us. Through the app, members can earn cashback-style rewards, track their Member Pot, unlock personalised offers and enjoy interactive games and challenges.
Since launching, Reward ££s has issued £4.8 million in rewards, seen almost 294,000 app downloads, and helped increase Member engagement by creating a simpler, fairer and more rewarding membership experience.
Celebrating the co-operative difference
These finalist nominations celebrate two things that make OurCoop unique: our commitment to strengthening the communities we serve and our determination to innovate for the benefit of our members.
Whether that's investing in programmes that create opportunities for people, supporting local causes, or developing new technology that makes membership more rewarding, we're proud that our work is being recognised by the retail industry.
We'll find out if we've won when the Retail Industry Awards winners are announced later this year. Until then, we'd like to thank our colleagues, members and partners who make achievements like these possible.