Good business - new market research into co-operatives

How people at large view co-operatives is a key factor in the business environment, whether for attracting staff, customers or members. Good business? Public perceptions of co-operation outlines the key findings from market research into public perceptions of co-operatives.

This short paper outlines the key findings from market research into public perceptions of co-operatives undertaken between May and August 2010.

The primary findings are based on a panel questionnaire conducted by George Street Research, supplemented by selected questions as part of an omnibus survey conducted by YouGov. All data reported here is from George Street Research, except for data on the number of co-operative businesses people can name, which is sourced from YouGov. The analysis is by Co-operatives UK.

It explains the reasons co-operatives can be cheerful, outlines where there is work to be done and shows where there are variations in views between age groups and regions of the UK. It concludes with recommendations for individual co-operative businesses and the co-operative sector as a whole.