Statistical information on the Co-operative Movement

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Co-operative membership around the world
Economic significance of co-operatives
Co-operatives create jobs
Gender Disaggregate Statistics

Statistical Information on the Co-operative Movement

The Co-operative Movement brings together over 800 million people around the world. The United Nations estimated in 1994 that the livelihood of nearly 3 billion people, or half of the world's population, was made secure by co-operative enterprise. These enterprises continue to play significant economic and social roles in their communities. Below are some facts about the Movement that demonstrate their relevance and contribution to economic and social development.

Large segments of the population are members of co-operatives

In Asia 45.3 million people are members of a credit union. (Source: Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions, Annual Report 2007/2008)
In Argentina, there are 12,670 co-operative societies with over 9.3 million members - approximately 23.5% of the population. (Source: "Las Cooperativas y las Mutuales en la República Argentina", Instituto Nacional de Asociativismo y Economia Social (INAES), 30 June 2008)
In Belgium, there were 29,933 co-operative societies in 2001
In Bolivia, 2,940,211 people or one -third of the population is a member of the 1590 co-operatives. ( Source: Diagnóstico Nacional Cooperativo (DNC), 2008 as reported in Boletín Informativo aciaméricas.coop Nº65, December, 2008)
In Canada, four of every ten Canadians are members of at least one co-operative. In Quebec, approximately 70% of the population are co-op members, while in Saskatchewan 56% are members. Source: Co-operative Secretariat, Government of Canada.
In Colombia over 4.4 million people or 10.7% of the population are members of the 7,833 co-operatives in the country. The movement reports an annual growth rate of 11.27% with 453,180 new members joining co-operatives in 2008. (Source: CONFECOOP. Gestión Empresarial Socialmente Responsable: Desempeno del Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2008)
Costa Rica counts over 10% of its population as members of co-operatives.
Finland, S-Group has a membership of 1,468,572 individuals which represents 62% of Finnish households. (Source: SOK Corporation Annual Report 2004)
In Germany, there are 20 million people who are members of co-operatives, 1 out of 4 people.
In Iran, there are over 130,000 co-operative societies with 23 million members or approximately 33% of the population. (Source: http://www.taavongaran.ir/En/)
In Indonesia, 27.5% families representing approximately 80 million individuals are members of co-operatives. (Source: Ministry of Co-operative & SMEs, Indonesia,2004)
In Japan, 1 out of every 3 families is a member of a co-operatives.
Kenya 1 in 5 is a member of a co-operative or 5.9 million and and 20 million Kenyans directly or indirectly derive their livelihood from the Co-operative Movement.
In India, over 239 million people are members of a co-operative.
In Malaysia, 5.9 million people or 24% of the total population are members of co-operatives.(Source: Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development, Department of Co-operative Development, Malaysia, December 2006)
In New Zealand, 40% of the adult population are members of co-operatives and mutuals. (Source: New Zealand Co-operative Association, 2007)
In Singapore, 50% of the population (1.6 million people) are members of a co-operative.
In the United States, 4 in 10 individuals is a member of a co-operative (25%).

Co-operatives are significant economic actors in national economies

In Belgium, co-operative pharmacies have a market share of 19.5%.
In Benin, FECECAM, a savings and credit co-operative federation provided USD 16 million in rural loans in 2002.
In Brazil, co-operatives are responsible for 40% of the agricultural GDP and for 6% of total agribusiness exports. In 2006 Brazilian co-operatives exported 7.5 million tons of agricultural products for a value of USD 2.83 billion to 137 countries. (Source: Brazil-Arab News Agency, 2 February 2007). . http://www.anba.com.br/ingles/noticia.php?id=13698
In Bolivia, Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito "Jesús Nazareno" Ltda. (CJN) handled 25% of the savings in Bolivia in 2002.
Canadian maple sugar co-operatives produce 35% of the world's maple sugar production.
In Côte d'Ivoire co-operatives invested USD 26 million for setting up schools, building rural roads and establishing maternal clinics.
In Colombia, the over 7,300 co-operatives are responsible for 5.61% of the GDP in 2007 - up from 5.37% in 2006 and 5.25% in 2005. They employ over 110,000 people and some sectors are providing a significant proportion of the jobs - 24.4% of all health sector jobs are provided by co-operatives, 18.3% of the jobs in the transport sector,8.3% in agriculture and 7.21% of the jobs in the financial sector. Co-ops provide 87.5% of all microcredit in the country; they provide health insurance to 30% of all Colombians and are responsible for 35.29% of Colombian coffee production. (Source: Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2007)
In Cyprus, the co-operative movement held 30% of the market in banking services, and handled 35% of all marketing of agricultural produce.
In Denmark, consumer co-operatives in 2007 held 36.4% of consumer retail market. (Source: Coop Norden AB Annual Report 2007)
Finnish co-operative groups within Pellervo were responsible for 74% of the meat products, 96% of dairy products; 50% of the egg production, 34% of forestry products and handled 34.2% of the total deposits in Finnish banks.
In France, 9 out of 10 farmers are members of agricultural co-operatives; co-operative banks handle 60% of the total deposits and 25% of all retailers in France are co-operatives. (Source: GNC Newsletter, No 348, June 2007)
Hungary, consumer co-operatives members of Co-op Hungary are responsible for 14.4% of the national food and general retail sales in 2004. (Source: Co-op Hungary, Statistical Data 2004)
In Iran, co-operatives contribute 6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (Source: http://www.taavongaran.ir/En/)
In Japan, the agricultural co-operatives report outputs of USD 90 billion with 91% of all Japanese farmers in membership. In 2007 consumer co-operatives reported a total turnover of USD 34.048 billion with 5.9% of the food market share. (Source: Co-op 2007 Facts & Figures, Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union)
In Kenya, co-operatives are responsible for 45% of the GDP and 31% of national savings and deposits. They have 70% of the coffee market, 76% dairy, 90% pyrethrum, and 95% of cotton.
In Korea, agricultural co-operatives have a membership of over 2 million farmers (90% of all farmers), and an output of USD 11 billion. The Korean fishery co-operatives also report a market share of 71%.
In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies whose members are 6.5% of the Kuwaiti population handled nearly 70% of the national retail trade in 2007.
In Latvia, the Latvian Central Co-operative Union is responsible for 12.3% of the market in the food industry sector.
In Mauritius, in the agricultural sector, co-operators play an important role in the production of sugar, vegetable, fruit and flower, milk, meat and fish. Nearly 50% of sugar-cane planters are grouped in co-operatives and the share of co-operatives in the National Sugar Production is 10%. Co-operative Societies also account for more than 60% of national production in the food crop sector - 755 of onion consumption, 40% of potatoes and about 70% of fresh green vegetables are produced by co-operatives. In addition, the Co-operative bus sector represents some 30% of the national bus transport. (Source: Ministry of Industry, Small & Medium Enterprises, Commerce & Cooperatives )
In Moldova, the Central Union of Consumer Co-operatives is responsible for 6.8% of the consumer market.
In New Zealand, 22% of the gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by co-operative enterprise. Co-operatives are responsible for 95% of the dairy market and 95% of the export dairy market. They hold 70% of the meat market, 50% of the farm supply market, 70% of the fertiliser market, 75% of the wholesale pharmaceuticals, and 62% of the grocery market. (Source: New Zealand Co-operative Association, 2007)
In Norway, dairy co-operatives are responsible for 99% of the milk production; consumer co-operatives held 24.1% of the market (Source: Coop Norden AB annual report 2007); fisheries co-operatives were responsible for 8.7% of total Norwegian exports; forestry co-operatives were responsible for 76% of timber and that 1.5 million people of the 4.5 million Norwegians are member of co-operatives.
In Poland, dairy co-operatives are responsible for 75% of dairy production.
In Portugal, approximately 3000 co-operatives are responsible for 5% of the Gross National Product of the country. (Source: Prime Minister of Portugal address to ICA Expo, 23 Oct. 2008)
Co-operatives and mutuals in Scotland account for 4.25% of the Scottish Gross Domestic Product, having an annual turnover of GBP 4 billion and assets of GBP 25 billion. ( Source: Co-operative Development Scotland web site, and "Co-operatives in Scotland: A powerful force....", 2007)
In Singapore, consumer co-operatives hold 55% of the market in supermarket purchases and have a turnover of USD 700 million.
In Slovenia, agricultural co-operatives are responsible for 72% of the milk production, 79% of cattle; 45% of wheat and 77% of potato production.
In Sweden, consumer co-operatives held 17.5% of the market in 2004. (Source: Coop Norden AB annual report 2004)
In the UK, the largest independent travel agency is a co-operative.
In Uruguay, co-operative produce 90% of the total milk production, 340% of honey and 30% of wheat. 60% of co-operative production is exported to over 40 countries around the world.
In Vietnam, co-operatives contribute 8.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In the United States more than 30 co-operatives have annual revenue in excess of USD 1 billion. In 2003 the top 100 US co-operatives had combined revenues of USD 117 billion. In addition, approximately 30% of farmers' products in the US are marketed through 3,400 farmer-owned co-operatives.

Co-operatives create and maintain employment

Co-operatives provide over 100 million jobs around the world, 20% more than multinational enterprises.
In Argentina, co-operatives are responsible for providing direct employment to over 233,000 individuals. (Source: Instituto Nacional de Asociativismo y Economia Social (INAES), September 2007)
In Bolivia, 1590 co-operatives provide 32,323 direct jobs and 128,180 indirect jobs.
( Source: Diagnóstico Nacional Cooperativo (DNC), 2008 as reported in Boletín Informativo aciaméricas.coop Nº65, December, 2008 )
In Canada, co-operatives and credit unions employ over 155,000 people. The Desjardins movement (savings and credit co-operatives) is the largest employer in the province of Québec.
In Colombia, the co-operative movement provides 123,643 jobs through direct employment and an additional 537,859 jobs as worker-owners in workers co-operatives - providing 3.74% of all jobs in the country. (Source: CONFECOOP. Gestión Empresarial Socialmente Responsable: Desempeno del Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2 008)
In France, 21,000 co-operatives provide over 4 million jobs. (Source: GNC Newsletter, No 348, June 2007)
In Germany, 8,106 co-operatives provide jobs for 440,000 people.
In Indonesia, co-operatives provide jobs to 288,589 individuals. (Source: Ministry of Co-operative & SMEs, Indonesia, 2004)
In Iran, co-operatives have created and maintain 1.5 million jobs. (Source: http://www.taavongaran.ir/En/ )
In Italy, 70,400 co-operative societies employed nearly 1 million people in 2005. (Source: Camere di Commercio d'Italia, "Secondo rapporto sulle imprese cooperative")
In Kenya, 250,000 people are employed by co-operatives.
In Slovakia, the Co-operative Union represents more 700 co-operatives who employ nearly 75,000 individuals.

The information provided here has been collected from a variety of sources including ICA's statistical questionnaire, information published by co-operative organisations, presentations made by co-operatives, and government statistical offices.

Last Updated: 03 October 2009