Snowy Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Not sure how many of you are aware of the co-op and it's drive to improve it's own label products. Not trying to advertise it or anything, but it's good to know there is a retailer out there that takes these issues seriously. I have a brilliant co-op in the village that I use a lot and I noticed today that they are being more conscientious about their chicken, see here: http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/10/03/107209/co-op-to-use-british-sourced-chicken-in-its-own-label-range.html Also, when I looked at an own brand quiche last week they use free range eggs. I am a member and they have recently surveyed their members to (hopefully) confirm that this is the way to go, ie towards all it's own brand products being fairly traded, free range, etc. Next time you go in a co-op have a look - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I like the co-op too because of its ethical stance. I wish it had bigger stores so I could do my monthly shop there. It is brilliant for fair-trade chocolate bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Do they do own brand sandwiches at all Something I have become aware of recently is how many free range egg/chicken sandwhiches contain mayo which is NOT free range Sainburys ones are guilty and Tesco and Scottish slimmers but I never go into co op so I have no idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 There isn't one in Banbury, but I used to work in one of the outlying villages, which did.... for all their 'cheap' image - they have some good ethics. Thanks for bringing this to our attention Snowy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 We use Co-op for all items we can't grow or buy from Market/farm shop/Goodness Direct. Ours is fairly large for a Co-op but I've not looked at chicken..... or sandwiches..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Louise, they do do own brand sandwiches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I used to shop in the Co-op quite regularly, it had a nice supermarket section, but it closed down earlier this year and I quite miss it . We do have a few small Co-op convenience stores in outlying parts of town but none close to where I live and the one they closed down was right in the town centre and so convenient. Thanks for the reminder though I might try and make a bit more effort to get to one of the small stores occasionally because they are very good on the ethical, free trade thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I like co-op. There never seems to be that many down here though. We always find there are loads up in Scotland when we go there on holiday. I've noticed a lot of places are doing free range eggs in sarnies now - even at the motorway services last week I had a free range egg sandwich! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Do they do own brand sandwiches at all Something I have become aware of recently is how many free range egg/chicken sandwhiches contain mayo which is NOT free range Sainburys ones are guilty and Tesco and Scottish slimmers but I never go into co op so I have no idea Louise I had a look today when I was passing - their chicken sandwiches actually contain EU chicken in mayo made with pasteurised egg (EU again) so obviously progress has not reached their sandwiches yet. They didn't have any egg mayo sarnies left But hopefully this will all change in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 we have a co-op in the village and i dont buy chicken from them as i have had several packs of chicken breasts that were off but still had a good date on them. i did take one back and got my money back but to be honest the others i just threw away as i didnt have the time to go down the shop again. i am not sure what is happening with the chicken. i did try another co-op in a neighbouring village and had the same problem. i now buy my meat from the butcher in our village and the chicken comes from a free-range farm down the road and all the pork and beef are from their own free-range farm, which is down my road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 That's a shame Sparkleee. But there does seem to be a big difference in the management of some stores. The co-op in our village is wonderful, but my friend lives in a village 10 miles away and the co-op therre is dismal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 The thing with sandwiches really annoys me How can they call them free range when they quite clearly contain an egg product that is not Anyone know who I should complain to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I'd do a google search - you'll find a site and an email addy/phone number somewhere Louise. If you put the details on here, we'll all complain too...it's something that gets my goat. When we go for a day trip, we usually take our own packed lunch becauase of the lack of decent free-range produce. We sometimes stop at NT tea rooms - all their ingredients are freerange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 We use the co-op all the time...just for when we run out of things mostly as it's very handy. It's only done the road after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...