European Economic and Social CommitteeSymposium on Active and healthy ageing:

Social and economic challengesOctober 9, 2012, Tokyo, , y

Session 3: Silver economy: ageing society and new economic and social opportunities

Community Welfare Activities of C C tiConsumer Co-operatives

in Japanin JapanYAMAGIWA At hiYAMAGIWA, Atsushi

Manager, Welfare Activity Promotion Dept.J C ’ C ti U i (JCCU)Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU)

JCCU i th ti l i f JCCU is the national union of consumer co-ops in Japan.co su e co ops Japa

Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union

Business Federations of

C it B d

National Unions of Categorical Co-opsUniversity/ Health & Welfare/ Mutual Insurance/ Housing

Prefectural Unions

R t il C N t il C

Community Based Co-ops

Retail Co-ops Non-retail Co-opsCommunity

Based C

Institutional Co-ops

School Teachers’ C

University Co-ops

Health & Welfare C

Mutual Insurance

C

Housing Co-ops

Co-ops Co-ops Co-ops Co-ops

Primary Co-operatives

Outlook of Community Based Retail Co-operativesCommunity Based Retail Co operatives

(Figures are in 2011)

•Membership: 19 million households

– One in three households is a co-op member.

T ¥ 2 676 billi •Turnover: ¥ 2,676 billion – Home Delivery: ¥ 1,635 billion

• Number of Delivery Vans: 20 000• Number of Delivery Vans: 20,000– Stores: ¥ 919 billion

• Number of Stores: 1,020u be o Sto es ,0 0

We cover almost all communities in Japan throughout the retail network throughout the retail network.

• Thus we share Thus we share responsibility to support to support people’s life in

d ith accord with changes in the society.

Our Activities Based onOur Activities Based onthe worldwide principles of Co-operatives

• ICA (International Cooperative Alliance) 7th Principle: Concern for CommunityCommunity

– “While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.”

• Within the local community, in addition to the retail operation, we are required to play more active are required to play more active roles in community affairs, such as welfare and contribution to "public assistance” and “public interest”.p

As Japan’s Society is AgeingCo-op Members are Ageing as wellCo-op Members are Ageing as well.

• We have to optimize our activities and business operations to pcope with the needs of ageing g gmembers and the ageing society.g g y

Concerns of Ageing Peoplefrom a Government survey in 2005

16.6Shopping

9.2

10

Traffic accident

Medical care

7 8

8.4

Local roads

Public transportation

7.5

7.8

Pulic utilities such as libraryPlace for walking

Local roads

%

5.2

0 5 10 15 20

Pulic utilities such as library or meeting space

Needs of Ageing Consumersg g

• Frequency of interactions with neighbors has Frequency of interactions with neighbors has been decreasing.

1975

Frequent ly

2007

Somet imes

Rare ly

None or other

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

What co-op members think important for their future lifeimportant for their future life

from 2012 Members Survey by JCCU

Happy family

Health

Peace of mind

Happy family

Purpose in life

Safety

Interaction with people

Purpose in life

0 20 40 60 80 100%

Members are willing to participate in Public Activities including WelfarePublic Activities including Welfare

from 2012 Members Survey by JCCU

60 9

62.9

Safety of food / life

Disaster relief

60.8

60.9

Hobby

Safety of food / life

59 3

60

Diet / cooking

Welfare / mutual aid

59

59.3

Environment

Diet / cooking

0 20 40 60 80 100%

Policy of Community Welfare Activities of Consumer Co-opsConsumer Co ops

by JCCU Study Committee for Community Welfare Activities in 20101. Co-ops’ basic role is to support lives of members and people in the

it th h th i b i ti i ll f d t ilicommunity through their business operation, especially food retailing.2. Co-ops are to cooperate with municipalities, local social welfare

councils and other organizations to form a local network of community welfare.

3. Co-ops are to provide members and local residents opportunities of study and civic activities. y

4. Co-ops are to provide members and local residents consulting service on matters of their daily life, and to utilize the community welfare network to cope with the matters of consultation.p

5. Co-ops are to make requests or proposals to and consult with the national and local authorities, if necessary, on the issues on community welfare they face during their operations and activities.welfare they face during their operations and activities.

O ti th li C 1Our practice on the policy: Case 1Age-Friendly Supermarkets

• Our New Supermarkets are designed to be age-g gfriendly based on the government

Call Button for Shopping Assistance

t e go e e tstandard.

Wider Parking Space

O ti th li C 2Our practice on the policy: Case 2Providing Long-term Care Service for the Elderly

• Nearly one third of it b d (50 community based co-ops (50

co-ops)now provide the long-term care service regulated term care service regulated by the government. – The service includes: Home

visit by helper, Day-care, Short stay, Lease or sales of welfare equipmentsequipments

– Annual turnover: ¥ 17.5 billion (2011)

O r practice on the polic Case 3Our practice on the policy: Case 3Developing Age-friendly Products

• Develop and improve Co-op brand products with the Age-friendly concept.

• One example: Co-op canned soft drink “Refresh” with an soft drink Refresh with an easier to open pull-topBefore: Shallow Dent After: Deeper DentBefore: Shallow Dent After: Deeper Dent

Our practice on the policy: Case 4Our practice on the policy: Case 4Free Bus Service for Shopping for Remote Communities

The bus service of Co-op Akita is used by 80 to 120 people, average age 70 year old, per day.

The route map and timetable of the bus service provided by Co-op Sapporo in Akabira-city, Hokkaido.age 70 year old, per day. Sapporo in Akabira city, Hokkaido.

Our practice on the policy: Case 5Our practice on the policy: Case 5Delivery service from store

• Some co-ops provide ageing or handicapped ageing or handicapped members delivery service from store with service from store with a small charge.Orders are made by Orders are made by telephone or paper.

A staff member of Miyagi Co-op delivers ordered products to a member’s housemember s house.

Our practice on the policy: Case 6Our practice on the policy: Case 6Mobile Grocery Store

• 14 Co-ops operate 65 mobile grocery stores for remote communitiescommunities.

Our practice on the policy: Case 6p p yMobile Grocery Store

Inside of a mobile grocery A temporary grocery store in a g ystore

p y g ycommunity also provides an opportunity of interaction among local people.

Our practice on the policy: Case 7C C i CCo-op Community Center

• Co-ops provides local people opportunities of interactions in p p p p ppvarious ways.

• Saitama Co-op operates a Co-op Community Center in a h i l F ti f th t housing complex. Functions of the center are:– Pick up point of goods ordered through home-shopping system– Meeting and gathering place for members and local people forg g g p p p

• Temporary shop, Food tasting, Culture event, Health Promotion etc.

Our practice on the policy: Case 8P d M l D li

• Operated by Prepared Meal Delivery

32 Co-ops (20 more expected)• 105 thousand registered

customers• 40,000 meals delivered per day

( t S t d S )(except Sat. and Sun.)– Face to face communication

through Monday to Fridaythrough Monday to Friday– Easy order by telephone– Keep emergency contact phone

b f th f ilnumber of the family– Delivery by part-timers such as

active ageing people and young mothers

Our practice on the policy: Case 9Our practice on the policy: Case 9Housework Support Business

To Feed Pets To Water PlantsTo Feed Pets To Water Plants

To Pluck Grass To Discard Bulky Waste

Our practice on the policy: Case 10Our practice on the policy: Case 10Mutual Help Activities Among Co-op Members

• Co-ops organize Mutual Help Activities among their members, in which, members able to support give assistance to members needing help in daily life such as talking with the elderly or watering plants with small feetalking with the elderly or watering plants with small fee.

• Number of supporting members: 28 000• Number of supporting members: 28,000• Total hours of help activities: 1.6 million hours per year

Our practice on the policy: Case 11Our practice on the policy: Case 11Activities in Interaction Salons

• Co-ops operate “Interaction Salon” for ageing members , as a place for various activities such as exercise, table talk with p ,lunch or tea and health check.