Co-operatives UK launch initiative to promote co-op lifestyle
Co-operatives UK is launching the first ever Co-operatives Fortnight to promote co-operative businesses.
The initiative will be supported by a national marketing campaign focusing on the theme “There is an alternative”.
The campaign will include regional and national print, broadcast, digital and social media. A PR campaign will also be handled by the R Consultancy and Ethos PR.
Ed Mayo general secretary of Co-operatives UK, says: “Co-operatives Fortnight is going to do for co-operation what Fairtrade Fortnight has done for third world coffee, bananas and chocolate.”
Run by Co-operatives UK, the national body for co-operative organisations in the UK, it hopes to encourage consumers to embrace the alternative model and “buy co-operatively, bank co-operatively, invest co-operatively and work co-operatively”.
It aims to promote a co-operative economy by highlighting the role of co-operative organisations across sectors including financial services, housing, retail, food and football.
The initiative is sponsored by The Co-operative Group, Midcounties Co-operative, The Southern Co-operative, Anglia Co-operative Society, Lincolnshire Co-operative Society, Chelmsford Star Co-operative, Channel Islands Co-operative Society and The Midlands Co-operative.
Co-operative Fortnight also takes in International Co-operatives Day on 3 July.
