Sustainable foods (Switzerland)

The Coop is a Swiss cooperative which operates the second largest supermarket chain in Switzerland, operating 1,437 shops and employing over 48,000 people. According to Bio Suisse, the Swiss organic producers' association, Coop accounts for half of all the organic food sold in Switzerland. Coop's four primary organic brands are Coop Oecoplan, Coop Naturaline, Coop Naturaplan, and Max Havelaar.

In 2013, the Coop Naturaplan organic food range will account for at least 20% of the company's total food sales, having already passed the CHF 2 billion (€1.3bn) mark in 2010. Coop has pledged to commit SF10 million each year until 2012 to the Coop Naturaplan, which will then be invested in a variety of projects supporting organic and sustainable production. The Fonds Coop Naturaplan will actively promote the concept of sustainable development in Switzerland, invest in the development of new organic products under the four main brands, and communicate the benefits of organic products to consumers.

Sales of Coop Naturaplan products last year reached SF1.01 billion, and there are currently more than 1,500 products sold under the four distinct brands. Some 1,100 of these also carry the seal of approval from Bio Suisse, the Swiss organic producers' association.

The company has also entered the 'green' energy market, selling coupons which can be exchanged for ecologically-friendly electricity under the Coop Oecoplan scheme. Over half the retail price of these coupons is reinvested by Coop in schemes promoting non-polluting electricity generation, mainly through solar or wind power, biofuels or water.