Frequently Asked Questions

A Co-operative is a business owned by its members. There are two types of Co-operatives that make up our brand (Co-op group and Independent Co-operatives) and each has its own family of businesses, such as Co-op Food and Co-op Funeral.

Central Co-op is one of 18 independent co-operatives operating in the Midlands and East of England. You can use your Central Co-op card in any of our family of businesses.

To check whether you can use your Central Co-op membership card in your nearest store, use our store finder.

A Co-operative is a business owned by its members. There are two types of Co-operatives that make up our brand:

Co-op group (usually a Blue membership card)

Independent Co-operatives, like ours (usually a honeycomb design)

Check the bottom of your card to see which Co-operative you’re a member of. If you have a membership card with us, you’ll see the words ‘Central Co-op’ printed below your name.

If you’re a Central Co-op member and have earned at least 100 points, by shopping in one of our family of businesses, you’ll become a shareholder in our co-operative.

The first 100 points earned will be credited to a Central Co-op share account, enabling you to become a full member. This also means you can have your say in how we’re run and start to receive a Share of our Profits.

Any points earned after the first 100 will be converted into pounds when we announce our Share of the Profits.

You’ll receive a Share of the Profits statement twice a year, where you’ll see a summary of what you’ve spent, over a period of time, converted into a balance onto your card. This is sometimes called an e-dividend.

You can spend your e-dividend in any of our family of businesses.

Click to see more information on share of the profits.

We’ll send you a statement if you’ve earned at least £1 (100 points) in dividend. However, the first £1 you earn will be credited to a share account with the Co-operative. This will enable you to become a full member.

Only amounts over and above your initial £1 will be paid out as a dividend in multiples of £1. Any dividend lower than £1 will not be paid out immediately but instead carried forward to the next qualifying period.

You can spend your Share of the Profits e-dividend in any of our stores. Remember to bring your Central Co-op Membership card with you.

Find your nearest store here

One of our great member benefits is being able to earn points by making a purchase in any of our Central Co-op family of businesses.

To check your balance, log into your account.

Any points that you’ve earned in other Co-op stores will appear in your Share of the Profits statement. If this is missing from your statement, you can contact our membership team. Please note, these points can take up to 12 months to appear.

Don’t worry – You can still claim your points within three months from the date of purchase. These points cannot be added online.

The full terms and conditions of your Member Share Account can be found here

Here are the interest rates payable on share accounts:

For more information on your Member Share Account, please contact our membership team on 0800 050 1601