Healthy Growth - France - Biocoop case study report

Summary

Biocoop is a network of organic shops which today gathers 345 shops in France in early 2014 (190 in 2000) and represents about 15% of the organic market in 2012 (versus 2,5% for its main competitor, La Vie Claire, and 47% for the big retailers all together).Right from its beginning, Biocoop chose to put forward its basic values (equity, cooperation, respect of strong social and ecological criteria, transparency and traceability, consumers’ sensitization) through a formal charter. This charter is declined in 4 conventions (retailing, management, social and ecological conventions). Biocoop’s governance has always involved the producers and the employees.
Despite this, in the late 1990s and 2000s, Biocoop’s strong and fast growth led to a strong (internal and external) criticism regarding the respect of organic values. In order to react to this trend, from the years 2000s on Biocoop tried to reinforce the application of its values especially by favouring local producers and reinforcing the voice of producers in the governance of the network.
All these aspects (strong formalization of values, participatory governance, controversies and adjustments over time) make it an interesting case for the Healthygrowth project.
This analysis is focused on the southeast region and, regarding partnerships with producers, on the fruits and vegetable chain. At the national scale it is based on a documentary analysis. Interviews with the national head office staff are still to be carried out.