Figures for the final reporting year for the Central England Co-operative as a standalone Society - ahead of the transfer of engagements with The Midcounties Co-operative on 26 January 2026 - were released this week.
They reveal a £844.6m turnover, down from £883.9m in the previous year while trading profit dropped from £8.1m in 2025 to £4.3m in what chief executive officer Debbie Robinson described as a ”volatile environment”. Its underlying operating profit was £9.5m, down from £11m in 2025 while net debt increased to £36.1m from £30.8m.
OurCoop has published the annual report, which will be the final one produced under the Central England name, ahead of the transfer of engagements that has created OurCoop.
Debbie Robinson (right), OurCoop chief executive officer, said: “This report closes one chapter and opens another. Central England Co-operative ends its final standalone year having delivered solid results, grown net assets by £48m and invested significantly in what comes next.
“2025 was the year three independent societies made a deliberate choice - to stay independent and to do it together. Our members voted for that future overwhelmingly and OurCoop now stands as the UK’s largest independent co-operative, with ambition to deliver more for our members and our communities.”
Across the period covered by the report, six new stores opened and 13 more were regenerated. The society also exceeded its in year green energy target and the Chelmsford Star sites are now 100% green energy fuelled.
It also saw member engagement strengthen. 175,000 new members joined during the year - up from 124,079 in 2024/25. By year-end, 310,000 Members had downloaded the society members’ app and active member participation reached 37%.
However, the year spanned also included market disruption, notably the cyber-attack on the Co-op in May, which affected supply across the wider co-operative network. With its own systems unaffected, the society’s diversified family of businesses traded through the disruption and continued to serve Members and customers, it said.
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