Membership is the lifeblood of our Co-op.
You know by now the value that being a member of the Co-op brings to you; whether it’s taking part in the decision making process, obtaining discounts on your groceries, or being part of something bigger – the Co-op community.
For for Co-op, paid-up membership means being able to bring you this value, continuing to invest and maintaining the level of service you deserve.
By now you will also be aware that the Co-op is going through a difficult period.
We have asked for your support, and we have been heartened by the response we’ve had from members.
As your Co-ordinating Body volunteers we have been working hard to manage our way through this challenging environment, and also continue to serve the Co-op membership and our wider community.
We are having to make difficult decisions in the short term, to give us the space to plan ahead and remain sustainable in the long term.
Juggling the here and now with planning our strategy for the future is not easy, but we believe in the strength of the Co-op to weather the storm.
Renewing your Membership for 2023
This week we are opening membership renewals for 2023.
You can renew your membership in less than 5 minutes online, or you can renew next time you’re at the Co-op.
Renewing your subscription not only provides you with all the benefits of membership, but is a great way to continue to support the Co-op through this difficult period.
2023 Membership Subscription Rates
Individual subscription – €30
Household subscription – €45
Concession subscription – €20
You’ll see that we have made the decision to increase subscription rates, for the first time in a very long time.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but after crunching the numbers it was clear that our subscription rates had not kept pace with the increase in costs over recent years, and particularly this year.
This increase has probably been overdue given the impact of the last few years, however, on average, an individual subscription saves you €120 on your shopping over the year.
This means that even with the new 2023 rates, there will continue to be net annual member benefit of €90 for the average member in 2023.
So in addition to supporting your Co-op through this challenging time, we believe that membership still provides you with great value for money on their subscription.
And that’s before taking account of any volunteering discounts. Volunteers not only provide an essential contribution to the Co-op, but they receive an even greater annual benefit.
Volunteering remains the best way to make the most of your Co-op while supporting local, community enterprise.
We have a small backlog of members waiting for training, but are actively welcoming new volunteers all the time.
As your Co-ordinating Body we recognise that this is a challenging time for many members and that increasing our rates may be difficult for you.
In line with our co-operative’s values of solidarity and accessibility, we would never want to exclude anyone from membership based on an inability to pay their subscription.
If you would have difficulty remaining a member under the new 2023 rates, we would ask that you reach out to us at membership@dublinfood.coop for a confidential conversation and our commitment to finding a workable solution.
As a Co-op, we are asking you to support us, but we are here to support you too.