What are Consumers Cooperative Stores?

A consumers’ cooperative store is a retail establishment organised and operated by the consumers themselves to obtain products of daily use at reasonably low prices.

Its objective is to eliminate profits to middlemen by establishing a direct contact with the manufacturers.

People belonging to middle and low income groups form a consumer’s cooperative store on the basis of mutual help and self help according to James Stephenson, “it is a combination of persons whose aim is to economies by buying in common and to retain their profits by selling in common.”

According to Philip Kolter a consumer cooperative is any retail firm owned by its customers. Consumers cooperatives are started by community residents who feel that local retailers are not serving them well, either charging too high prices or providing poor quality products”.

Thus, a consumers’ cooperative store is a retail store owned and controlled by a cooperative society of consumers.