Co-operative Retail Services

CRS re-introduced the word "co-operative" to its branding in the 1990s

Co-operative Retail Services Limited (CRS) was the second-largest consumer co-operative society in the UK. In 2000, it was dissolved by its members, merging with the largest co-op, CWS, to form the Co-operative Group.

History

In 1933, CWS formed a retail division tasked with taking over failing retail consumer co-operatives, and setting up shop in new areas. This division was demerged to form Co-operative Retail Services during 1957. The demerger was prompted by complications with CWS's democratic governance: it was becoming a larger retailer in its own right but it was a secondary co-operative, owned by other co-operatives, meaning the retail division's customers had little representation on the board.

During the mid 1990s, CRS began an ambitious investment programme. The society saw the CWS-led Co-op brand to be old and out-dated and began a huge refurbishment programme of its ageing and neglected stores under the new 'Co-operative' identity. Slow to adopt the commonplace EPoS systems for its tills, and still pricing products individually rather than using barcode scanners, it also invested in information technology.

In 2000, these changes and improvements were overtaken by events, as CRS was merged back into CWS to form the Co-operative Group. Over the following few years, the rebranding efforts were temporarily reversed as stores and own brand goods were converted into CWS-designed formats – which included the re-introduction of the 1993 version of the 1967 CWS four leaf clover Co-op logo.

Trading operations

Food

The largest proportion of the business (93% of all sales) was devoted to food retailing in over 500 stores. The society had a wide range of stores including superstores (15,000sq ft+), medium-sized supermarkets (5,000-15,000 sq ft) and small convenience stores (<5,000 sq ft). At the end of the 1990s, superstores and supermarkets were branded 'Co-operative Pioneer' (a nod to the movement's heritage of the Rochdale Pioneers) while most smaller convenience stores would carry the 'Co-operative Local' brand. Previously, CRS had used a variety of brands, including Leo's and Stop & Shop.

Non-food

The society operated department stores based in town and city centres. Most of these stores carried the 'Co-operative Living' brand. Department stores were located in: Bangor, Barnsley, Barnstaple, Basildon, Bath, Birkenhead, Blackwood, Boscombe, Bridgend, Burnley, Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chippenham, Colwyn Bay, Crawley, Doncaster, Halifax, Hammersmith, Hemel Hempstead, Hereford, Herne Bay, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leigh, Letchworth, Llandudno, Llanelli, Merthyr Tydfil, Nelson, Newmarket, Pembroke Dock, Pontefract, Reading, Romford, Scunthorpe, St Austell, Stevenage, Stratford, Swansea, Taunton, Trowbridge, Wells, Weston-super-Mare, Weymouth, Worcester, Wrexham, Yeovil.

Larger, out-of-town stores carrying a larger range of lines - but no clothing or cosmetics - carried the 'Co-operative HomeWorld' brand. These stores were located in: Carn Brea, Catcliffe, Coventry, Exeter, Filton, Hedge End, Talbot Green. In 1999, the society sold ten of these properties to Kingfisher, for conversion into Big W (Woolworth) and B&Q stores.

Rentals & Credit Operations

In conjunction with Household and Electrical departments, the operation also ran its own credit finance facility, and rental operation. Rentals included televisions and fridges (gas and electric) .

Funerals

At one point the "Co-op" buried more people than any other Funeral Director.

Car dealerships

The society operated ten car dealerships with 835 staff in the Cambridge area under the Herbert Robinson name. Herbert Robinson had been a business of the former Cambridge & District Co-operative Society, that transferred engagements to CRS in 1991. In 2001, these sites were absorbed into CWS's much larger Priory Motor Group, which at the time had 18 dealerships on 12 sites. Priory was broken up and sold by the Co-operative Group in 2005.

See also

• Co-operative
• The Co-operative brand
• The Co-operative Group
• British co-operative movement