Soon a participative and cooperative store in Rouen! In any case, this is the project that the Rouen association Kissikol. She wants to create a supermarket where the cooperators are the owners, choose the products, participate voluntarily in the operation of the store and paid between 10% and 40% less for their products than in an ordinary store.

This store concept already exists, born in the United States in the 70s, imported to Paris in the store The wolf (18th arrondissement) which opened at the end of 2017, it is spreading to several regions of France and therefore soon to Rouen if all goes well.

Looking for a place

The association is currently looking for a local, a large area”between 800 and 1,000 m2“ explains Anne, one of the members of the association since the idea is to open a “supermarket where you can do all your shopping: food and non-food” she continues.

The ideal would be to findrather on the right bank and in the east of Rouen or towards Darnétal or the Hauts de Rouen“specifies for his part Jean-Michel Vallet, another member of Kissikol”because it is in this sector that most of our members live” and, he hopes, future cooperators.

Because another condition to open and not the least would be to have at least 500 cooperators. They are the ones who finance and ultimately own the store. “Each cooperator buys a share at 100 euros (this may be less depending on income) for life and this allows him to have his say in the choice of products. Each cooperator also undertakes to give three hours of his time each month to run the store“explains Anne again.

Cheaper products reserved for cooperators

The idea is therefore to create your own supermarket, choose your products, work there and do your classes there at much cheaper prices than in the ordinary trade. Only cooperators could have access to it. There will be three types of products announced Anne: “organic, conventional and local“. Networks with producers are being created.”We are not in the business“says Elsa, another member of the association, so it takes time and everyone learns by doing.

It is long-term work. The association cannot yet give an opening date but still projects itself in a horizon of one or two years.