#CoopsDay 2026: Consumer Co-operatives Contributing to a More Peaceful World

Today, co-operatives around the world celebrate the International Day of Co-operatives (#CoopsDay), under the theme "Co-operatives for a Peaceful World", highlighting the important role they play in fostering inclusive and democratic societies. Co-operatives bring people together around shared values and common goals; they contribute to social cohesion, mutual understanding and economic participation, all of which are essential foundations for lasting peace.

In the spirit of this year's theme, consumer co-operatives across Europe demonstrate every day how peace can be built through inclusion, solidarity and opportunities for all. As businesses owned and governed by their members, consumer co-operatives help strengthen communities, reduce inequalities and empower people to actively participate in economic and social life.

At a time when many societies are facing economic uncertainty, social divisions and global challenges, the co-operative model continues to show how businesses can contribute to the common good while nurturing trust, participation and community resilience.

Debbie Robinson, President of Euro Coop, said: "Peace doesn't start with grand declarations – it starts with whether people feel they belong and have a real stake in what happens around them. That's the quiet work consumer co-operatives have always done. When people own and run a business together, they learn to listen, to share fairly and to give everyone a voice and those are the habits a peaceful society is built on. At a time when so much is pulling communities apart, that work matters more than ever."

Across Europe, consumer co-operatives are translating these principles into concrete action, showing how the idea of a more peaceful world begins in everyday life and in the way organisations treat people.

In Spain, Consum’s partnership with Fundación “la Caixa” through the Incorpora programme supports the labour market integration of people facing barriers to employment, including older workers. The initiative opens pathways to stable and dignified work, and helps reduce exclusion, strengthening the social fabric of local communities.

In the United Kingdom, OurCoop has used Neurodiversity Celebration Week to reaffirm its commitment to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive by cultivating a culture where difference is recognised as a strength and where every colleague can fully participate.

Coop Italy continues to develop its Close the Gap programme, a long-term commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities through initiatives that address structural inequalities and promote participation. Coop Italy reinforces the idea that a fairer society is also a more cohesive and peaceful one.

These are just a few examples that show that peace is not only the absence of conflict. It is also built through fairness, dignity and opportunity. Consumer co-operatives are not just businesses: by promoting democratic participation, supporting vulnerable groups and ensuring that economic activity serves people and communities, they make a meaningful contribution to a more peaceful world.

At the European level, consumer co-operatives form a strong and dynamic network rooted in local communities while delivering significant social and economic impact across the region.

Together, Euro Coop members account for more than 6,500 co-operative enterprises, serving 37.6 million consumer-members and employing over 466,000 people. With more than 75,000 points of sale and a market share of approximately 11%, the sector generates a combined turnover of €64.7 billion.

These figures highlight the scale and relevance of consumer co-operatives in Europe: businesses that are locally embedded yet collectively powerful, and that continue to demonstrate how democratic ownership can deliver both economic performance and social value.

On the International Day of Co-operatives 2026, Euro Coop reaffirms its commitment to the values that define it: democracy, solidarity, equity and responsibility. Together, consumer co-operatives across Europe continue to show that lasting peace is built not only through ideals, but through everyday actions rooted in inclusion and shared ownership.