Retailing in the voluntary sector: the role of the Scottish food co‐operatives

Abstract

Voluntary food co-operatives (VFCs) remain a relatively under-researched area of academic enquiry. However, they represent an important form of retail provision for particular consumer groups. This paper examines the role and purpose of VFCs in Scotland. It details the primary reasons behind their establishment and examines their different methods of operation. Placed within a framework of food retail access, the research identifies the important contribution VFCs make to alleviating poverty and promoting healthy eating in inner urban areas. Significant differences exist between VFCs and the paper therefore concludes with a typology of different voluntary food co-operatives.The great thing about poverty is that it is a problem that you can throw money at (respondent's quote).

Diagnosing member-customer ostracism in co-operatives and counterpoising its relationship-poisoning effects

“…Our research helps capture a more complete picture of the factors influencing marketing relationships, providing scholars with a reason to further investigate and explain the firm's social environment. Marketing researchers and managers should not disregard Membercustomer ostracism in co-operatives that businesses, particularly the co-op ones, are a social construction, which humans have created to get specific problems solved and address both individual and social needs (Freathy and Hare, 2004). Hence, inclusive membership should top the co-op leadership agenda (Davis, 2016).…”

Sustainable food planning: evolving theory and practice

“…The challenge of evaluating community food projects has been recognized (Caraher, Dixon, Felton, South and Tull 2001;Dowler and Caraher, 2003;Freathy and Hare 2004). Challenges can be attributed to varying food co-op models and inconsistent record keeping.…”

Essays on co-operatives’ idiosyncrasies : structure, performance, and membership

“…We built our co-op ostracism framework within a nomological network by specifying and testing consequent effects, and examining its influence on exchange outcomes next to a dominant relationship-building factor (i.e., trust) and a rival account (i.e., social undermining). We obtained strong support, across three studies, for our prediction that co-op ostracism has a discrete impact should not disregard that businesses, particularly the co-op ones, are a social construction, which humans have created to get specific problems solved and address both individual and social needs (Freathy and Hare, 2004). Hence, inclusive membership should top the co-op leadership agenda (Davis, 2016), particularly if co-ops wish to maintain their unique way of doing ethical and principles-based business (Foreman and Whetten, 2002;Mellor, 2009;Novkovic, 2008).…”

“…Co-ops are predominantly concerned with increasing, holding and benefiting from a loyal membercustomer base (Kalogeras et al, 2009). This fills both a central business aimtapping member contribution and commitment -and the social purposes of providing members with a sense of inclusion, participation, and community, as well as the opportunity to co-decide about several issues (e.g., what services are offered) (Foreman and Whetten, 2002;Freathy and Hare, 2004;Mazzarol et al, 2014;Mellor, 2009).…”

“…Members are co-op's core customers, but also those who own, finance and control it (Birchall, 2011). As such, they maintain a close relationship with the co-op, enjoying both economic benefits (e.g., determining the services/products offered) and social welfare (e.g., networking, community support) (Foreman and Whetten, 2002;Freathy and Hare, 2004). Inevitably, co-op survival, let alone co-op success, rest on relational assets like member-customer loyalty (Mazzarol et al, 2014).…”