navigation search not to be confused with anglia regional co operative society . east of england co operative society limited type consumer co operative industry retail wholesale founded 2005 1858 headquarters ipswich suffolk england products grocer funeral director travel agent ophthalmic optician dispensing chemist revenue c. 400 million gbp number of employees 5 000 approx . website www.eastofengland.coop the east of england co operative society is the fourth largest consumer co operative in the united kingdom . 1 it is a registered industrial and provident society ; 2 headquartered in ipswich and trading in the eastern counties of essex suffolk and norfolk the society is the area s largest independent retailer . contents 1 history 2 activities 3 membership 4 see also 5 references 6 external links history edit see also history of the cooperative movement the east of england co operative society is an amalgamation of smaller societies from across east anglia which have joined together over the years . most recently the colchester and east essex co operative society merged with the ipswich and norwich co operative society in 2005 . the consumer co operative movement has its roots in the early part of the nineteenth century and the principles of self help and social equity that developed during the victorian era . the first successful retail co operative was established in 1844 by the rochdale pioneers . the ipswich and norwich society was the product of an amalgamation in 1993 of the ipswich co operative society known as the ipswich industrial from 1868 to 1968 and incorporating since 1991 the engagements of the former stowmarket society established 1889 and the norwich co operative society formed in 1858 . 3 the colchester and east essex society was founded as colchester co operative society in 1861 expanding through merger with the following co operative societies 4 society established transferred tiptree self help 1895 1921 clacton 1931 coggeshall heart in hand 1945 harwich dovercourt and parkeston march 1967 maldon nov. 1967 witham june 1970 earls colne aug. 1970 activities edit east of england co op food store in coggeshall essex the society operates convenience stores pharmacies opticians funeral directors and travel agents . it previously ran a dairy with doorstep deliveries but this was sold to dairy crest in early 2008 and their department stores and a jewellery store were sold to vergo retail in 2009 . in 2010 their car dealerships were also sold to various owners . 5 6 7 the society is a corporate member of the co operative group sourcing its food through the national buying programme the co operative retail trading group . the east of england co operative party organise in colchester suffolk and norfolk . membership edit customers and employees pay 1 to join and receive a dividend card which effectively acts as a loyalty card and must be presented at any transaction to receive points . these points are then allocated a monetary value decided by a board and based on the society s profits that year . from 2015 however it became free to join the east of england co op society with the 1 fee previously charged being deducted from the member s first dividend payout . membership is open to all those living or working in the society s trading area . members receive a share in the profits and in 2008 more than 4 million was paid out in dividends . see also edit british co operative movement eastern savings and loans references edit after the co operative group midlands co operative society and the midcounties co operative see p. 34 the uk co operative economy 2012 alternatives to austerity co operatives uk retrieved 16 january 2014 registered in england and wales under the companies act 1985 no. 1099r a brief history of the ipswich and norwich co operative society east of england co operative society retrieved 3 september 2009 a brief history of colchester and east essex co operative society east of england co operative society retrieved 3 september 2009 co operative motor group citroen king s lynn . retrieved 2010 06 16 . co operative motor group peugeot norwich . retrieved 2010 06 16 . co operative motor group peugeot king s lynn . retrieved 2010 06 16 . external links edit east of england co operative society v t e consumer co operatives in the united kingdom central england channel islands chelmsford star clydebank co operative group east of england heart of england lincolnshire midcounties the phone co op radstock scotmid southern wine society wooldale the co operative brand retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title east of england co operative society & oldid 705251978 categories consumers co operatives of the united kingdomcompanies based in suffolkipswichdefunct department stores of the united kingdomco operatives in england2005 establishments in englandhidden categories use dmy dates from august 2015use british english from august 2015 navigation menu personal tools 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