Euro Coop report advises co-operatives on successful mergers, acquisitions

BRUSSELS, 18 January 2012 – Euro Coop, the European Community of Consumer Co-operatives, released a report today about mergers and acquisitions from the perspective of consumer co-operatives. 

The report is an experience-based tool combining practical examples with recommendations for successful consolidation strategies. 

In regards to mergers, Euro Coop focuses on governance, or defining a new democratic structure, and in its discussion of acquisitions, the leading issue is culture, or integrating customers and staff into the co-operative community. 

While much literature exists on the subject of mergers and acquisitions, Euro Coop decided that consumer co-operatives needed a unique publication in order to evaluate valuable business opportunities and preserve the characteristics of the co-operative model when undergoing consolidation. 

Euro Coop’s Co-operative Identity Working Group prepared the report, a response to the increased competition that has encouraged more consumer co-operatives to experiment with consolidation. 

The report is available to Euro Coop members via the Euro Coop website and to other co-operative organisations upon request to [email protected]

The national organisations of consumer co-operatives in 18 European countries make up Euro Coop. Founded in 1957, Euro Coop today represents the interests of over 3,200 local and regional co-operatives owned by a total of 30 million consumers across Europe, employing more than 400,000 people and accounting for €73 billion in annual turnover.