Background

Coop began 170 years ago and has always been carried forward with strength and enthusiasm by generations of cooperators, members and customers.

The origins date back to 1854, when the first “savings store” was established in Turin. Goods were buyed and resold at wholesale prices to the members, in order to protect consumers' purchasing power.

Over time, this consumers' co-operative model became widespread across Italy. In the late 40's, these cooperatives reunited under the Italian Alliance of Consumer Cooperatives (AICC) and all of their brands were unified in the new brand 'Coop'. Today, Coop Italia is a consortium of 75 cooperatives with 1,030 stores, 6.2 million members, and over 44,300 employees.

Coop's commitment to ethics is integral to its identity. In 1998, it became the first company in Italy and Europe, and the eighth in the world, to adopt the SA 8000 Ethical Standard, focusing on workers' rights.

Coop requires all brand suppliers and non-branded fruit and vegetable suppliers to adhere contractually to Coop's ethical project and to Ethical Code of Coop Italia , aligned with SA 8000, ILO principles and UN Women's Empowerment.”

Coop actively combats gender disparities, racial and religious discrimination, child labor, forced labor, and promotes fair contracts, health and safety, and optimal working conditions.

Given this business model, partnering with Fairtrade was a natural fit, allowing Coop to pursue shared goals of defending rights and sustainability.

The partnership

Coop's collaboration with Fairtrade began in 1995, with the launch of its first certified coffee, called 'For Solidarity'. A few years later, 'Solidarity' products were rebranded Solidal, the first Fairtrade private-label brand in the Italian retail market. All Coop Solidal products are Fairtrade certified according to the ATCB model.

More recently, Coop was the first Italian retailer to commit to sourcing Fairtrade cocoa for its various branded confectionery products.

Today Coop’s shelves feature:

• Solidal brand: 45 items in the categories of Fresh (bananas, pineapples, dried fruit, and roses) and Grocery (coffee, tea, chocolate, brown sugar, cereals, etc.), all with Fairtrade ATCB certification. 
• 160 private label products under the Coop, Vivi Verde, Fior fiore, and D’osa brands that carry a Fairtrade label.

Working together for a sustainable future

Thanks to the collaboration between Fairtrade and Coop, producers can access stable prices, low-interest prefinancing, and long-term purchase contracts.

Coop Italia has maintained commercial relationships with some of its Fairtrade suppliers for over two decades. These long-standing partnerships are evident in the banana supply chains of Ecuador and Colombia, as well as the coffee supply chain in Nicaragua.

Additionally, through the Fairtrade Premium , extra funds are provided to farmers and workers, enabling them to invest in various projects for their businesses and communities.

Sales of Coop products have made a significant impact, generating over 2.5 million euros in Fairtrade Premium between 2021 and 2023 alone. These funds have been invested in vital cooperative projects, including: healthcare programs, scholarships, and housing for banana workers; as well as initiatives to increase productivity, develop agroforestry systems, and support the income of cocoa and coffee farmers.

A concrete example of Coop’s commitment towards Fairtrade producers is the project 'Coop for the Amazon':  after the devastating wildfires in the Amazon in summer 2019.

Coop launched a fundraising campaign involving customers and suppliers to support Amazon rainforest preservation and Indigenous communities.

Two Fairtrade-certified organisations of nut gatherers in Bolivia – AIR MUIJE in Beni Department and SEFENBO in Pando – benefited from this project.

Key results included:

• Improved management of the organisations through technical support.
• Establishment of six new collection centers for nut storage and drying, reducing collection time and product waste.
• Installation of four water tanks for fire prevention.
• Creation of five nurseries for regenerating damaged areas.
• Implementation of training programs to strengthen governance and management skills in organic and Fairtrade certification.

Local Consumer Advocacy

A distinctive aspect of the Fairtrade-Coop relationship in Italy is the local advocacy efforts of consumer members. Coop member committees serve as Fairtrade ambassadors at the grassroots level, organising training sessions and actively partnering in Fairtrade promotion campaigns and the Fairtrade Schools program.