About the company
If you’re looking for an internet supermarket that is big on sustainability and provides high-quality products at reasonable prices, look no further than The Co-op Online Shop. In 2019, it was ranked the 2nd best UK supermarket for customer satisfaction out of 240 brands! More than 10,000 consumers participated to share their views.
The Co-op is just as the name suggests, a co-operative of individual members that own and profit from its services. Its core services are food, pharmacy, insurance, legal services and funerals. The Co-op was first a part of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers founded in 1844, which is widely recognized by England as the first co-operative.
The Co-op is impressively the 6th largest food retailer in the UK with more than 7000 stores. The Co-op now has more than 70,000 employees across the UK. Its headquarters is in One Angel Square, Northampton and the current CEO is Steve Murrells. The Co-operative Group Limited is traded on the London Stock Exchange with ticker code 42TF.
The offer may vary, at the time of writing this review the following product categories can be ordered in the Co-op online shop:
Offer
The Co-op Online Shop provides a wide variety of services, unlike any other UK supermarket. Grocery categories include:
Bakery and Cakes
- Breads and Rolls
- Wraps, Bagels, Pitas and Thins
- Breakfast and Pastries
- Doughnuts, Cookies and Tubs
- Cakes and Buns
- Birthday and Party Cakes
Fresh Fruit, Veg and Salad
- Fruit
- Vegetables and Potatoes
- Salad and Stir Frys
- Freah Herbs and Spices
- Meat, Fish and Poultry
Summer BBQ
- Beef and Lamb
- Poultry
- Fish
- Pork, Sausage and Bacon
Dairy, Eggs and Chilled Juice
- Milk
- Cream
- Butter and Spreads
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yoghurts
- Chilled Juice and Smoothies
- Long Life UHT Milk
Pizza, Ready Meals and Desserts
- Pizza and Garlic Breads
- Fresh Pasta and Sauces
- Ready Meals
- Fresh Soup and Microwave Snacks
- Vegetarian
- Chilled Desserts
Food to Go
- Sandwiches and Wraps
- Pasta and Salad Pots
Deli, Pies and Cooked Meats
- Pies, Quiche and Snacking
- Dips and Olives
- Cooked Meats
- Vegetarian
Frozen Foods
- Pizza and Ready Meals
- Ice-Cream and Lollies
- Ice, Fruit and Desserts
- Chips and Sides
- Fish and Meat
- Vegetables and Yorkshire Puddings
Food Cupboards
- Breakfast Cereal and Drinks
- Pasta, Rice and Noodles
- Tins, Cans and Packets
- Cooking Sauces and Meal Kits
- Herbs and Spices
- Oil, Vinegar and Gravy
- Condiments, Pickles and Chutneys
- World Foods
- Jam, Honey and Spreads
- Home Baking and Desserts
Tea, Coffee and Hot Drinks
Alcoholic beverages
- Beer
- Cider
- Gin
- Flavoured Spirits and Pre-Mix Cans
- Mixers, Tonics and Cocktail Garnishes
- White Wine
- Rose Wine
- Champagne and Sparkling Wine
- Red Wine
- Vodka
- Whisky
- Other Spirits and Liqueurs
- No and Low Alcohol
Chocolate, Crisps, Biscuits and Snacks
- Multi Snacks and Treats
- Crisps, Snacks and Nuts
- Biscuits and Crackers
- Chocolate Bars and Bags
- Chocolate Boxes and Gifts
- Cereal Bars and Breakfast Drinks
- Sweets, Mints and Gums
Non-food categories include Baby and Toddler, Health and Beauty, Pet Food, Occasions and Household.
Beef and Lamb
- Beef Rump Steak
- 12% Fat Beef Mince
- Beef Quarter Pounder Burgers
- Beef Medallion Steaks
- Minted Lamb Shoulder Chops
- Lamb Chops
- 25% Fat Beef Mince
- Ribeye Steak
- Beef Mince
- Fillet Steak
- Beef Meatballs
- Beef Sirloin Steak
- Beef Sizzle Steaks
- Beef Flat Iron Steaks
- Picanha Steaks
- Rump Steaks
- Lean Beef Mince
- Lamb Leg Steaks
- Diced Beef Casserole Steak
Fish
- Scottish Mussels in a White Wine Sauce
- Scottish Loch Trout Fillet
- Sea Bass Fillet
- Beech & Oak Smoked Scottish Smoked Salmon
- Salmon Fillets with Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Smoked Haddock Fillets
- Kipper Fillets
- Chunky Breaded Cod
- Smoked Mackerel Fillets
- Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with a Mature Cheddar Melting Centre
- Cooked Prawns
- Hot Smoked Loch Trout Fillets
- Skinless Cod Fillets
- Smoked Salmon
- King Prawns
- Smoked Mackerel
- Kiln Roasted Salmon Fillets in a Sweet Chilli Marinade
- Steamed Scottish Fillet
Poultry
- Со-ор British Chicken Breast Fillets
- Co-op Honest Value Whole Chicken
- Co-op British Roast in the Bag Whole Chicken
- Co-op Thigh Chicken Fillets
- Co-op Chicken Mini Breast Fillets
Pork, Sausage and Bacon
- Cumberland Sausages
- Pork Shoulder Steak
- Unsmoked Gammon Grillsteaks
- Reduced-Fat Smoked Bacon Medallions
- Unsmoked Streaky Bacon Rashers
- BBQ Pork Steaks
- BBQ Pulled Pork
- Pork Chipolatas
The Co-op online shop has a whole range of products for the Vegan diet. The Gro range is strictly plant-based and the green label can be found on a variety of items. Burgers, ice cream and vegan sausages are among the items in this range. You can also grab a ready-to-go meal or try out some of the vegan recipes here.
Gluten-Free
You’ll find a purple “Free From” label on most gluten-free items at the Co-op. From chocolate chip cookies to fish cakes, there is a decent variety of gluten-free options to choose from. You can find almost a hundred gluten-free recipes here.
Other special diet categories include Wheat Free, Dairy Free, No Added Sugar, and Lactose-Free.
Vegetarian and Vegan Products in all categories.
Wine
A wide collection of wines from 15 countries is offered at the Co-op. Categories are sparkling, white, red, prosecco, champagne, fortified and rosé. While the selection is vast, wines are not listed by region so finding a specific French wine would be a hassle.
If you’re looking for French wine specialists, the Yapp Brothers are well known for being the UK’s leading importer of French and regional wines. In 2019, the Yapp Brothers were named Specialist Wine Merchant of the Year for Languedoc-Roussillon.
Sustainability
The Co-op has quite a few sustainability initiatives. The company is currently investing millions of pounds into projects including carbon reduction, waste reduction and energy efficiency.
Carbon Reduction
Carbon emissions from stores, trucks, funeral homes, offices and buildings have been reduced by 47% from 2016 to 2020. The company will continue to use 100% renewable electricity, some of which is sourced from the five windmill farms in the UK. The Co-op aims to have all its new stores using zero fossil fuel heating starting 2021.
In addition to successfully lowering carbon emissions, The Co-op has been using only recyclable packaging and reducing the amount of packaging used in an effort to minimize waste.
Fairtrade
The Co-op practices fairtrade over a variety of products. Producers under the Fairtrade banner have to meet its high standards of sustainability including practices that limit the strain on the environment. Farmers from all over the globe have an opportunity to partner with one of the UK’s leading cooperatives. The Co-op supports banana farmers from Ghana and rose farmers from Kenya. It also gets coffee, tea, wine and chocolate from its Fairtrade partners.
Meat
Fresh meat including beef, chicken, pork and sausages under the Co-op brand is 100% British. Only a few options of imported meat is available. The Co-op strongly believes in supporting the British economy by sourcing from locals and providing employment.
Ordering
While you don’t need to be a member to shop in-store or online at any Co-op location, you can register as a member for £1. The perks of becoming a member include exclusive savings and being able to vote for changes to be made in the co-op.
To register:
1. Enter your title, name, date of birth and email. You will then need to create a strong password.
2. If you would like to receive correspondence by email or post, you can select the options at the bottom of the page.
Payment Methods
The Co-op online shop accepts both debit and credit cards. Payment options are Visa, Visa Electron, Delta, Mastercard Debit and Mastercard Credit.
Delivery
The Co-op offers several delivery options for your convenience. Whether you’re a local or tourist, once you have a UK address, you can place an online order. No identification is needed to register. There’s a field to enter your postal code that will show your eligibility for a certain delivery method when you checkout. The Co-op guarantees a 2-hour delivery time to select postal codes.
Co-op Delivery
This is for online orders that are made from home. The Co-op staff will find and pack your items before delivering them to your door. This is a great option if you live close by but don’t want to make the trip to the store. Groceries are usually delivered within 2 hours to certain postal codes.
Click and Collect
If you prefer to collect your groceries but skip the long queues this is a perfect option for you. You can order online ahead of time and get other things done before picking up your groceries.
Shop and Deliver
If you’re making a large purchase and the heavy bags will be too overwhelming, this option is for you. You can shop in-store and have the order delivered to your door right away.
Deliveroo
Deliveroo is an online grocery delivery service. The Co-op has partnered with the company to have groceries delivered in as little as 30 minutes when you order online.
How it works:
- 1. Download the Deliveroo app on the App Store or Google Play and create an account. If you don’t want to download the app you can register here.
- 2. Type in your postal code and the app will automatically find the closest Co-op store to your location.
- 3. Add items to your cart and enter your address at checkout.
- 4. Track your order via the app. Upon delivery, the driver will leave the order at your door and wait at a reasonable distance to make sure you collect it.
Packaging
The Co-op uses a wide range of sustainable packaging options to reduce waste.
Meat packaging
Cooked meat packaging is made with a single material which makes recycling easier. This saves 163 tonnes of plastic from landfills.
Pizza Trays
The pizza boxes are made from corrugated cardboard instead of the regular thick cardboard boxes. Corrugated cardboard is made from three thin layers. This is more sustainable and prevents 200 tonnes of polystyrene boards from going to landfills each year.
Tomato Trays
A total of 670k baby and cherry plum tomatoes have been moved to cardboard packaging saving 68 tonnes of plastic per year.
Compostable Carrier Bags
The Co-op is the first UK food retailer to sell certified compostable shopping bags that can also be used as a food waste caddy liner. Profits from each purchase of a bag go to a worthy cause through the Local Community Fund. You can select a local cause here once you have the paid membership.
Tissue Boxes
The Co-op uses FSC paper to make its tissue boxes. This makes them recyclable.
Water Bottles
The Co-op brand of sparkling, still and flavoured water is made from 100% recycled and recyclable. Also recycled are the carbonated drinks and mixers under the Co-op house brand.
Customer Service
The Co-op’s contact centre opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 10pm
- Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 8pm
You can also find customer support by sending an email to cooponlinedelivery {a} coop.co.uk, calling on 0330 041 7737 or view the support page.
Customer Satisfaction
On Trustpilot, the company has an overall rating of 2.2 out of 5 based on 919 reviews. The majority of the reviewers had bad experiences as 58% gave 1-star reviews and only 23% left 5-star reviews.
In the most recent review posted on 27/5/2021, Charlotte P commented “Website is not easy to find what you want. Twenty minutes after the 2-hour slot, I got a message saying that I could track my order which arrived a minute later. One item was missing. Will not use again.”
On 24/5/2021, Clark B. said “Coffee sucks hardcore which is the primary reason why I love the establishment but the people are great and the experience is next level! Food is really good and the burger Tuesday special is stellar. Coffee still sucks.”
Based on 75 reviews, the Co-op was rated 2.8 out of 5 on Reviews. In May 2021, Janet G said, “I went to the Coop at Jennyfields in Harrogate today and I couldn’t find what I was looking for, a kind member of staff called Mich went and got me the product. She is always so lovely and really helpful, she brightens my day.”
A recent 1-star review was posted in May 2021 by Alan W which stated, “The coop uses a delivery third-party service, today I had the major misfortune to have a delivery person who did not understand English nor could he follow a GPS .home delivery should be stress-free and an extension of shopping in-store minus any stress. today my experience was full of unnecessary stress and one which I won’t be repeating should this happen again, I will simply shop elsewhere.”
While the Co-op online shop doesn’t have the most gourmet meat, it’s a great place to order choice cuts online. It prides itself on making large efforts towards sustainability and traceability of its meat. You can shop confidently knowing you are supporting local producers and saving the environment.
