Businesses and Activities

Retail business of Japanese consumer co-ops consists of home delivery and store business. As for the home delivery, the ordered goods are delivered to individual homes or groups at a designated address on a weekly cycle. For the store business, co-ops mainly operate supermarket-type stores, which sell food and non-food items. Some co-ops run mobile stores or provide transportation services to co-op stores for those who have difficulty in shopping by themselves.

Insurance business ensures members' lives in case of an emergency such as injury, disease, and disaster. Members can buy medical, life, and fire insurance offered by CO・OP Kyosai through one's co-op.

Many consumer co-ops operate nursing care business for senior citizens and people with disabilities based on the nursing care insurance system. Their main business form is in-home nursing care. Co-ops’ basis of nursing care is to protect the dignity of users and to support users' independent and at-home living. Co-ops also puts efforts into community-based services and introduction of the “10 Basic Care by Co-op”.
In 2022, the Co-op Welfare Business Federation was established to strengthen the welfare and nursing business of consumer co-ops and social welfare corporations that were founded with co-ops as their parent organizations.

Health and welfare co-ops operate hospitals and clinics, aiming to create patient-centered medical care services cooperating with their members. They offer a broad range of medical services to co-op members and residents. Members voluntarily join preventive care activities such as daily blood pressure self-check.

Consumer co-ops have worked on a variety of dietary activities to realize members' aspiration for safety and reliability of food and health. Today, consumer co-ops offer their members opportunities for cooking classes, interaction with producers, and agricultural experiences. They also make proposals to the public considering the future of food safety and Japanese agriculture.

While people are less connected to each other in the community today, consumer co-ops are aiming to create an inclusive society where everyone including senior citizens, people with disabilities, and children can live with a sense of security. Consumer co-ops help develop connection among individuals, by promoting members' mutual help activities. They also offer gathering places for parents and children and events for senior citizens to enjoy chatting in the community.

Under the slogan "For Peace and Better Life", consumer co-ops nationwide have engaged in a wider range of peace activities initiated by co-op members. In recent years, study meetings for parents and children to listen to the testimonies of atomic bomb survivors and war experiences are organized to convey and preserve the wish for world peace. Also, consumer co-ops conduct UNICEF fund-raising campaign.

Co-ops promote greenhouse gas reduction, utilization and development of renewable energy, and waste reduction in their businesses. As activities with members, they promote ethical consumption, food waste reduction, plastic shopping bag reduction, and recycling collection. Many co-ops hold study sessions for their staff and members about global warming, plastic pollution, food waste, etc.

Related page with Main Activities of Consumer Co-ops: “Consumer Co-ops' Social Activities”