This July 4 marks the International Day of Cooperatives, established by the UN. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate and promote an original economic model which is gaining popularity and is proving, more than ever, to be one of the relevant responses to the challenges of our time.
The cooperative model is not new and it started… on the plate! In 1844, 28 English weavers and artisans – who will be remembered in history as the “Rochdale Fair Pioneers” – joined forces to create a consumer cooperative. Their objective: to allow each of its members to access quality food at a fair price.
Another way to do business
This founding experience lays the foundations of the modern cooperative movement: collective ownership, democratic governance, equitable distribution of results and above all territorial anchoring. Since then, cooperatives have spread successfully: they are present today in many sectors of the economy such as agriculture, commerce and banking and prove that another way of doing business – fairer, more sustainable and more responsible – is possible.
In agricultural and merchant cooperatives, this model of undertaking and living the economy differently also follows a virtuous logic: that of coming together to produce better, share better and consume better! Essential aspirations in the eyes of consumers, ever more numerous today in search of meaning. So much so that this model represents a real economic power in the world.
In 2024, the three sectors most invested by cooperatives in France were retail (129 billion euros in consolidated turnover), agriculture/agri-food (119 billion) and cooperative banks (81 billion). And we know less about this!
Building a better and sustainable world
Although public opinion praises the values of the cooperative model, it nevertheless underestimates its importance and ignores its concrete contributions. This is one of the main conclusions of the study “Cooperatives, a model for the future”, carried out in 2025 by the National Federation of Savings Banks (FNCE).
To the question: “What values do you think are necessary for a better world?” », the French cite as a priority four cardinal values of the cooperative model: equality, mutual aid and solidarity, democracy, equity and social justice. And yet, the very foundations of this model are little known: as proof, 71% of them are unable to mention the name of a cooperative!
So collectively, let’s do justice to the cooperative model. It truly contributes to building a better and sustainable world. And this is not a simple moral or conceptual question. This ambition is truly enshrined in its statutes. The cooperative model is a co-ownership model, since there are no external shareholders; a model of fair distribution of value, since the money is reinvested for the benefit of the community; a model governed by participatory democracy, since members and their representatives express themselves according to the principle “one person = one vote”. Decisions are made collegially and as close as possible to local needs.
Long-term action
In this sense, this model responds particularly well to the strong expectations of the French, as demonstrated by the very latest data measured in 2026 by the FNCE. To the question: “What do you think is the definition of a useful business?” », they answer that it is above all a company which produces and recruits locally (36%) and which reinvests its profits locally (30%). 96% of them also specify that they need access to shops and essential daily services in less than thirty minutes. So many needs covered by cooperatives, from plate to wallet!
Overall, this model truly contributes to a fair, truly local and united economy, serving the interests of its members and the general interest. It does not sacrifice profitability, but it puts it at the service of broader goals: inclusion, solidarity, sustainability.
It is also particularly adapted to the challenges of our time because it takes a long-term view. Also, cooperative companies and associations truly have a role to play in the development of our country and its territories. And it is up to each and every one of us to become its ardent defenders.
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