The Soil Association has a new report “Buying Groups - A Viable Supermarket Alternative?” on the potential of food coops and buying groups in the United Kingdom. In addition to case studies of food cooperatives form around the world, report highlights include:

The majority of UK buying groups are supplied by one of the three largest wholefood worker cooperatives; Suma, Essential Trading, Infinity.  

Over 400 different food coop and buying groups have been supported through Making Local Food Work. These represent a wide range of different models, including mobile shops, bag schemes and stalls. Most groups involve fruit and vegetables or organic whole foods, although some also trade meat and dairy produce.
 
Large scale food coops or buying groups operating from permanent retail outlets, such as the People’s Supermarket in London or True Food Coop in Reading, area  recent development. These initiatives have been driven by local food activists, emerging in areas where there is no longer a readily accessible independent outlet for organic and local produce and providing viable alternatives to supermarkets.