Co-op Energy

Co-op Energy says its purpose is to build a fairer, more sustainable energy market. 

Its gas and electricity tariffs are supplied by Octopus Energy, which also provides customer service and support.  

As part of Octopus, Co-op Energy supplies 100% renewable electricity and offers a Community Power tariff, which sources energy from small-scale community generation projects across the UK.

Customers can earn membership points, which are turned into vouchers to spend in Co-op shops or on other Co-op services.

Use our tool to compare energy prices if you're looking for a new tariff.

Co-op Energy score 

We combine the results of our customer survey with an in-depth assessment of companies’ behind-the-scenes practices and policies to give you a comprehensive view.

Take a look at our table below to see our score breakdown for Co-op Energy:

Here's how Co-op Energy's customer and policy assessments break down:

Find out how Co-op Energy compares with other energy companies – click to see our full results of the best and worst energy companies.

Co-op Energy customer review

Based on customer feedback, Co-op Energy achieved seventh place out of 18 energy companies rated by 11,984 members of the public in the annual Which? energy companies customer satisfaction survey.

It scored 69%, behind its partner firm, Octopus, which topped the customer rankings with 78%.

It received decent scores from its customers for most of the aspects of service we rated, with good four-star ratings for its customer service, communications about energy costs, value for money and accuracy of payments. It got an average three-star rating for accessibility, clarity of statements and customer communications.

Which? verdict on Co-op Energy

• Pros: Did reasonably well in our customer survey; provides great support for those who need it, and does well when it comes to switching customers
• Cons: Could do more to handle complaints promptly

Our Co-op Energy supplier assessment

From September to November 2024, we looked at five aspects of suppliers' business practices and procedures:

• Contacting your supplier – including how and when you can get in touch, and the quality of self-service help online
• How well they deal with complaints – how many complaints suppliers get and how quickly they resolve them
• Supporting customers who need it – including web accessibility, those in vulnerable situations, in financial difficulty, who use prepayment meters, and those who need materials in languages besides English 
• Switching – how easy it is for customers to switch
• Smart meter targets performance in 2023 –the most recent figures available.

Co-op Energy received the joint fourth-highest overall score in this assessment and received the maximum points for how it supports customers who need it. It didn't score so well for how it handled complaints and contacting your supplier, though, as it only managed to score just above average in both categories.  

Co-op Energy customer service

Co-op Energy customers were satisfied with its customer service, rating it four stars – only bettered by three other companies, including partner Octopus, Utility Warehouse and 100Green, which all received five stars. 

Co-op Energy common complaints

In our survey, 13% of customers said they contacted Co-op Energy to make a complaint in the previous 12 months. This was a relatively high percentage compared to many of the other providers we rated.

Complaints were most commonly about electricity or gas being cut off. More than a quarter (26%) of people who made a formal complaint told us it was about this.

Incorrect bill or statement (22%) was the next most common complaint.

Can you join Co-op Energy with a prepayment meter?

Yes, as Co-op Energy customers are supplied by Octopus Energy they can join the supplier with a prepayment meter.

• Smart prepayment meter customers can top up online or via an app, or at PayPoint outlets. Traditional prepayment meter customers can top up at PayPoint or Payzone outlets.
• You can get £10 of emergency credit if you run out, which you pay back next time you top up. 
• Smart meter users and those with traditional prepayment electricity meters can also get 'friendly credit', which means you won't be cut off if you run out of credit between 4pm and 10am Monday to Friday or on weekends and bank holidays.

How sustainable is Co-op Energy?

Sustainability credentials are important when choosing an energy supplier for two thirds of those responsible for choosing their provider. That’s according to our online survey of 3,000 UK adults in August 2024. 

So we factor in a range of sustainability criteria in our annual Eco Provider assessment. 

Here's how Co-op Energy fared:

• Proportion of renewable electricity sold to customers: 100%. 
• Doesn't generate renewable electricity; however its partner company Octopus Energy, which supplies gas and electricity, does.
• Doesn't offer time-of-use tariffs. 
• Its Community Power tariff is powered by community-run renewable electricity projects, such as solar panels on roofs of wind turbines in farmland. Any profits go towards local initiatives. Co-op Energy and Octopus put £10 per new customer into their Powering Communities Fund.
• Installs solar PV, battery storage, heat pumps, insulation and EV chargers via Octopus Energy Services. 

Find out more about the differences between energy companies’ renewable electricity, and find out how we assessed energy suppliers for sustainability. 

Based on information supplied by companies in August 2024 and their most recent published fuel mixes, where available. 

Making your home more energy efficient will save money on your bills in the long term and lower your carbon footprint. Get started with our guides to home energy efficiency.