A Better Form of Business 2013: Community-owned village shops

Community-owned village shops continue to be one of the leading success stories of the UK co-operative and community enterprise movement.
In 1993 there were just 23 community-owned shops trading in the UK;
20 years on there are 303, with a further 30 anticipated to open in 2013.

This report aims to give an overview of the development of the community shop sector in the UK and of the health and wealth of the sector today. Specifically, the report provides numerical data about the range of legal and management structures of these shops; a summary of the scope of products and services they offer; an analysis of their profitability and contribution to the local economy; and a background of the people who make community shops work.