OurCoop – formed in January through the merger of Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star – has launched a retail media network, MediaCoop.
The retail media offering “goes beyond traditional in-store tactics or advertising space” the newly formed co-operative said, and gives brands the opportunity to reach consumers in more than 500 FoodCoop stores.
Advertising opportunities for brands include displays in in-store environments and on digital touchpoints, as well as community-led activations such as bike repair stations, early years settings, and events and app-based engagement.
“MediaCoop is one of the most exciting opportunities we can offer as a new society, because it brings together two things we are known for, our scale and the trust we earn in communities week in, week out,” said Debbie Robinson, CEO of OurCoop.
“This is about working beyond the shelf. It’s not just about space or screens, but about showing up in the right places, at the right moments, in ways that connect product awareness with real customer needs,” she added. “Our ambition is to move quickly, stay flexible and work closely with partners to deliver activity that drives commercial results while creating long-term shared value.”
The society encompasses more than 500 convenience stores, as well as 70 travel agency branches, 150 funeral homes, and 40 early years nurseries. It is also the UK’s only co-operative utilities provider through its EnergyCoop, MobileCoop and BroadbandCoop arms.
MediaCoop has been created in partnership with Leeds-based retail media agency GIG Retail. In May last year, GIG announced a partnership with Iceland to “accelerate” the discount supermarket’s retail media push.
GIG had worked with Asda on its retail media network – Asda Media Partnerships – since 2014, before the supermarket switched to rival SMG. It launched what it claimed to be the first discounter retail media network in the UK with Poundland in 2021.
The network “is intended to support a range of partner outcomes, from increasing footfall and driving volume to building brands in ways that are trusted and relevant within local communities”, OurCoop said.
January’s merger created creates the UK’s largest independent society. Its footprint spans Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Bedfordshire in the south and west; Staffordshire and Northamptonshire in the Midlands; Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire in the north; and Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk in the east.
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