OurCoop Faces Member Backlash Over Executive Pay Amid Profit Drop
OurCoop, an independent mutual operating approximately 500 food stores across England, is under scrutiny from its members after increasing the chief executive’s pay to £2.16m despite declining sales and profits.
The organisation, distinct from the larger Co-op Group but dependent on it for some product supplies, did not approve an annual profit-share payment to members this year, although members received shopping discounts.
Deborah Robinson, chief executive of OurCoop, which operates from Wiltshire to Tyne and Wear, saw her total remuneration rise to £2.16m. This included an 11.5% increase in her basic salary, a £1.1m incentive payment, and a £400,000 one-off discretionary payment.
Selina Butterfield-Mashoofi, the group’s finance, technology, and property officer, experienced a pay increase of more than 3.5 times to £1.13m. Her compensation package included a £500,000 incentive and a £212,015 one-off payment, with her basic salary rising from £257,606 to £400,000.
OurCoop was established through the merger of Central Co-op and Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society last year, with Midcounties Co-operative joining in January.
During the year ending 24 January, the group’s sales declined by 4.4% to £844.6m, trading profit nearly halved to £4.3m, and net debt increased to £36m. The financial performance was partially impacted by sourcing goods through the Co-op Group, which suffered a cyber-attack last year.
The Co-op Group, a nationwide operator with over 2,000 food stores, funeral parlours, and financial services, had a former CEO, Shirine Khoury-Haq, whose pay was lower than Robinson’s.
Remuneration Policy Changes Cited Amid Talent Retention Concerns
The OurCoop remuneration report explains that changes to the pay policy were made because the previous policy faced significant challenges. It states the risk of losing senior executive talent due to headhunting was considerable, especially during a critical period of impending mergers deemed strategically important.
The report adds:
“In a year of change, previous incentive arrangements became unmeasurable and obsolete having been superseded by the scale and pace of change in the society.”
The report does not specify how the remuneration figures were benchmarked against comparable organisations.
An OurCoop spokesperson commented:
“The remuneration report sets out in full how those decisions were reached and on what basis, published precisely so that our members can scrutinise them. We welcome that scrutiny. On 20 May 2026, the annual report and accounts, including the remuneration report, were approved by members, with 85% voting in favour.”
The spokesperson further explained that executive pay was determined by the society’s remuneration committee and approved by a democratically elected board. They emphasized:
“No members of the executive team sit on the board of the society or the remuneration committee.”
The decisions were reflective of a year marked by fundamental change, including the mergers that formed OurCoop and the increased scope, complexity, and responsibility of executive roles.
Additionally, OurCoop invested £8.5m in 2026 to raise staff pay, ensuring competitive hourly rates above the national living wage for all employees regardless of age. Benefits include paid breaks, free health checks, virtual GP services, counselling sessions, and access to a nutritionist.
Member and Former Staff Criticism Over Pay Increases
Despite these explanations, some members expressed dissatisfaction. One member told that the pay rises lacked sufficient scrutiny at the annual meeting, noting that the actual figures were not read aloud.
“As a member, I find it incredibly difficult to understand how executive bonuses of this scale can be justified at a time when the society’s financial performance is deteriorating and members and colleagues are seeing no equivalent benefit. It leaves many people questioning whether accountability and co-operative values are really being applied equally at the top of the organisation.”
A former senior staff member posted on LinkedIn:
“Wow! After delivering such significant decline in profits and making many support office staff redundant I don’t know how such payments can be justified by the remuneration committee. Is this what Co-op values look like now?”
Another individual described the pay awards as “so galling.”
