It’s Make A Difference Month

Just by choosing Co-op, you make a difference. The products and services you buy do good, and your voices as member owners together do too. 

This April, go MAD for all the ways you can get involved. 

How have you made a difference? 

By selecting a local cause through Co-op’s Local Community Fund in the Co-op App, you’re making a difference where you live every time you shop. Since 2016, member owners have helped 39,000 causes support 9.5m people across the UK. Find out more in our blog. 

On 26 March, your Co-op shared its full look back on 2025 with the publication of our Annual Report and our Social Value & Sustainability Report, and there’s lots to thank our member owners for. You can find all the highlights on our new, interactive site. 

As part of our 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), thousands of member owners made their votes count. Through the Big Co-op Survey, nearly 40,000 of you told your National Members’ Council about the issues you were facing and areas you thought Co-op could help in or improve. With your views in mind, Council Members put forward the following motions to our 2025 AGM and in this blog, we wanted to share our favourite highlight for each one: 

1. Hate divides communities, co-operation builds them 

– Later this year, we’ll launch a brand-new online platform that connects communities to each other, their local Co-op, and their local teams of Council and Member Activators. This aims to empower you to come together on the issues you care about. 

2. Empowering member owners to start, choose, understand and grow co-operatives 

– In January, we launched our Ownership Hub – your all-year round online space that helps you see the difference we make together, get involved, and feel empowered to choose Co‑op and other co‑operative businesses. 

3. Supporting member owners with the cost of living and responsible consumption 

– To start 2026 off right, our new ‘YES’ icon landed on the packaging of over 200 own-brand products, making it easier than ever to make healthy choices when you shop. 

There are even more highlights for each motion in our full video updates, which you can watch here. 

Last autumn, thousands of you took part in online opportunities and joined us at local events and pop-up cafes so we could help you and your communities thrive. With your feedback and input, we’ve gone on to launch brand new ‘Ask the expert’ online events with our Life Services teams to help you through life’s big moments or get ahead of them – and there’s lots more to come. 

Locally, you shared your views on how where you live and your Co-op experience could be improved. Your Member Activators and teams around Co-op have been busy listening and taking action where possible, and you can find out more about the difference that’s been made around the UK in our blog. 

How can you make a difference this month? 

Easter is just around the corner and at Co-op, all of the cocoa in our eggs and mini chocolate treats is 100% Fairtrade. So that means for every egg you buy to hunt, decorate or enjoy with friends and family, you can make a difference to producers in Africa and South America and your long weekend with returning favourites and Irresistible newcomers. 

While you’re on the app selecting a local cause or picking your personalised offers each Monday, you’ll find a weekly poll throughout April. From improving the app itself to sharing your views on healthy eating, there’s lots to shape and learn, plus a fun game all about getting more from your membership. 

If you’ve got 5 minutes to spare, The Big Co-op Survey is back and this time, our businesses are asking how we can make a BIG difference to your everyday. As part of the survey, your Co-op is looking at how it can improve the ways you’re represented locally and better understand how you want to influence the business you own, so let us know your thoughts. 

Get ready to make a difference with your vote 

Since you joined us, you’ve co-operated and played your part in change – sometimes without realising! Now that you know more about the difference we’ve made together in 2025 and all the ways you have a voice, we hope you feel ready to make your vote count in how we make a difference next. 

Voting for our 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will open on 13 April. Until 11 May at Midday, your voice can shape the next 12 months by telling us which big things we should work on through our motions. This year, your National Members’ Council have taken the ideas and views we heard from thousands of member owners last autumn and turned them into asks for Co-op. 

To vote, you need to have spent £100 with Co-op in 2025 or have policies or products with our businesses. Some of our Member Activators will be running local forums throughout the voting period if you need any support or have questions about getting involved. There will be tastings and chances to share your views, so please get in touch and come along. 

If you’re eligible to vote, you also have an invite to our AGM event at Co-op Live in Manchester on 16 May, where you can meet leaders, ask questions and take part in our Members’ Discussion. For the first time, we’ll also be running an all-day event at Canalside Café for any member to attend, where there will be free food and goodies up for grabs and plenty of chances to influence the issues you care about. If you would like to get involved closer to home, we’d love to see you at one of 12 local events or online, as you can still make your voice count in your Co-op there. 

Visit our AGM website for more information.