Does anyone else think the co-op is a lot more expensive than other places? I have two locally and they always seem quite busy I guess people like the convenience.

I've gone right off buying stuff there after finding clay mud in my potato salad it was awful never again.

I avoid the co-op at all costs, overpriced, slow, slow staff and limited choice. The co-op is no more than an expensive conveineance sp? store for the elderly and those in small villagers unable to drive, or just need a pint of milk.

Can't stand co-op. My local store has friendly staff and whatnot, but the produce isn't that great and is vastly overpriced. I'd rather drive for ten minutes and go to Tesco or Sainsbury's.

They have been closing quite a few in Scotland recently.Overpriced,understaffed,poor lay-out.Some being replaced by LIDL or ALDI.

Ours has some great bargains when foods are near sell by date, and they do trays of ham off cuts for a really good price also broken biscuits etc. They also seem to match tescos BOGOF offers most weeks.

Could I do a weeks shop in there ? probably not but a treat for Sunday tea or something I have forgotten easily for a reasonable price too.

All the Co-ops around here have just had a make over, well the small ones have, not sure about the supermarket one. The problem I find with ours as there is a small one in about 500 yards away is that it is too small and when the staff start filling the selves it is difficult to move in here. I must admit it is not cheap, I do wonder how some people can afford to do their whole shopping there, i know of someone who is on benefits and they do most of their shopping in there. I could not afford to, even when I was working.

The Co-Op has an ethical buying policy but apart from their selected special offers, their prices must be the most expensive in the entire country. Most Co-Op items, when reduced for quick sale, are still more expensive that the original price for fresh produce everywhere else. Yoghurt prices are so high that they are almost quite funny.

They do have one or two hidden gems though if you know where to look. Their own-brand Magnum look-alike ice cream lollies are superb value at three for £1, as are their own-bran choc ices, which they virtually give away.

Their online retail store, Co-Op Electrical, is absolutely brilliant, offering some of the cheapest prices you'll find anywhere and a delivery service that is unequalled (sometimes delivering within hours of placing the order).

I find it hugely annoying that they don't issue their points cards in key ring form, like those from Tesco.

The Co-Operative is definitely more expensive than the big 4 supermarkets, but most of their stores are convenience sized rather than superstore sized so they can probably get away with higher prices because people don't mind paying for convenience.

Our local branch of The Co-Operative is actually very good - well stocked, including decent fruit and veg, and has a great wine section given the size of the store. I tend to use it for basics - bread, milk etc when I can't be bothered with doing a big shop somewhere else.

I'm a member too so I get points and eventually a share of the profits (not for a while though, with their recent issues..).

Last time I shopped in one with any regularity I was astounded at the prices. My local corner shop used to sell most things cheaper.

Our local branch was relocated. It's now all fridges and defrosted buns on big Woden tables. It opened exactly a year ago yesterday funny enough. I have been in 4 times since it moved. 3 times to use the post office that is in there. The only time I went to shop they wanted £1.64 for a 250g butter (88p Asda, aldi, tesco) and they wanted £1.10 for a lettuce (39p Asda, aldi, tesco) I put them down and drove the 3miles to aldi. I now do a list on the fridge and shop once a week at aldi or Asda.

I couldn't agree more. The food is so overpriced. M&S Prices for Tesco quality. When items are on special offer, their prices are still outrageously high. The one in Tulse Hill looks like a leftover from the 1970's. It's a dump.

agree i shop there 3-4 times per week. mainly for essentials. 4 ltrs milk @£2 ok 22p more expensive than other stores..

I buy quite a lot in the co-op. Typically I do a double shop in an Aldi and in the Co-op. Where quality is the same I'll buy in Aldi. Where quality is better (e.g. hummus, own-brand weetabix, french bread, squash, etc.) or just for variety (e.g. sliced bread) I'll buy in the co-op. This works for me quite well.

But the quality has dropped enormously. In the 1990s the Co-Op must have had one of the country's best wine buyers because the quality of their low-priced and own-brand wines was amazing. These days it seems to be chosen more or less at random and isn't much better than Lidl, which has easily the worst wine section of any major supermarket.

If you want Tesco value, the Co-op isn't the place for you.

Strange use of the word "but". Surely their ethical buying policy is the reason for their high prices? It's not so much that they're a rip-off, but that they don't rip off their suppliers like other supermarkets do.

Unless they do; I've no idea. But it does seem inevitable that if you think farmers should be paid more by supermarkets, you will need to be willing to pay more yourself.

If you can't afford to buy things from Co-Op then you need to take a step back, look at your life and work out where you went wrong.

I find the Co-op prices are similar to Waitrose but the quality is not as good, although they are ethical which is a plus point. In my town there is a Tesco Express, smallish sized Sainsburys supermarket, Co-op supermarket, and there is a Little Waitrose being built. None of these shops are particularly cheap and you couldn't do a "big shop" in them as the choice isn't good enough

Every co-op i go in drives me mad. 3 staff, 1 on the till while the rest just look busy in the isle letting the queue get bigger and bigger to the point you just want to drop the items and walk out.

Was about to say something very similar.

I occasionally go to Co-op on my way back from evening class as it's en route home.
Quite like their own-brand chutney.

Is it unusual to be not that bothered that something might be a little more expensive?
I don't really check and compare prices that much.

In the olden days the Co-Op was the only department store in our town.......

Nowadays I've only got small 'corner' Co-ops near me and there's nothing to get me in there when I've got big Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Morrisons within walking distance

ps.......noticed your name on the birthday list !

Hope you had a good 'un......

We used to buy the occasional loaf of bread or milk in there because it was nearest, but since they built a Farmfoods nearby, we use that instead. Co-op is literally twice the price for some things! It's a wonder they have any customers left!

I've got a small Co-op near me. I only used to use it when I had to top my gas and electric up as they have a pay point, but I've switched to credit meters now.
I used to buy the odd thing when I was in there, usually bits that were reduced because of sell by dates. I couldn't afford to do a weeks shop in there but also they haven't got a lot of choice either.
They're handy for an emergency though as they're open really early in the morning till late at night. They used to be 24/7 but must have found it wasn't worth it. The staff are really nice and friendly in there too.

Good point - bad point.

I agree OP, it's a rip off, but I go in there all the time as it's the nearest large shop after Waitrose.

I pay my water bill, top up electric and have a look at their reduced section.