Episode 162: Finnish Retail Cooperatives, with Ryan Cooper

The Checkout does a deep dive with journalist Ryan Cooper on why grocery cooperatives are so mainstream and dominant in Finland.

In Finland, cooperatives are not counter culture. The largest grocery chain is a customer owned behemoth called S Market with over 1,646 stores, 2.4 million members and a 46% market share. The American Prospect’s Ryan Cooper dug into this phenomenon and shares his insights. https://prospect.org/world/2023-10-11-cooperative-that-could-s-group-finland/

From “https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/17/finland-co-operative-economy-ed-mayo :

“Finnish customer-owned retailers have won market share by making membership something that is meaningful, rather reproducing another consumer loyalty scheme. They are using data and new technologies to support the close relationship, and give a sense of ownership.”

“The peaceful endeavor of the underprivileged to improve their lot by their own efforts, joined together.”-Hannes Gebhard

“The Finns have developed and sustained vibrant community-owned model for sustainable rural outlets that integrate different services, including food, petrol and banking.

“By combining services in a format that is shaped by local communities and responds to local needs, but with the scale and distribution of a national chain, Finnish co-ops are finding new ways to sustain more distant regional economies.

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