Those with keen eyes walking through the city centre in recent days may have noticed that some Co-op stores have gone through a clever rebrand.
It may not have caught the eyes straight away, but after a closer look, shoppers will have noticed that branches of the supermarket retailer in major UK cities are now going by the alternative name of Co-op26 – and it’s all part of Co-op’s bid to “engage customers” throughout the COP26 conference and beyond.
The United Nations’ climate change conference COP26 is taking place in Glasgow from Sunday 31 October – Friday 12 November.
The retailer says the Co-op26 campaign is aiming to get people right across the country asking questions about how they can impact climate change at a community level.
Six flagship Co-op stores across the UK – including the branch on High Street in Manchester city centre – have fully been rebranded to Co-op26, with bright blue exterior signage and window vinyl takeovers attempting to capture the attention of passers’ by, while the rest of the retailer’s 2,600 food stores and 830 funeral care homes also have everything from hanging boards, shelf edge labels, and bunting, to exterior bollard covers, and in-store radio takeovers to communicate the message and encourage customers to get involved.
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People across the UK having been taking to social media in recent days to share their reactions and thoughts on the rebranding, as well as posting photos of their local Co-op branches looking a little different to usual.
The rebranding appears to have been widely praised by many, with one shopper on Twitter simply telling Co-op “well played”.
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Jackson Mills – Area Manager at Manchester’s Co-op stores – also shared a video of the High Street store’s rebranding on Twitter, adding in the caption: So proud that Co-op is supporting #COP26. I’m outside High Street Co-op today looking at our new display, asking people to co-operate together and make a difference.
It’s not only the stores that’ll be taking part either.
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Continuing with the play on words, Co-op has also rebranded all its social media channels to Co-op26 for the duration of the conference too.
“Climate action needs to be truly accessible and inclusive in order to make the difference that’s so urgently needed,” explained Steve Murrells – CEO of The Co-op Group.
“While the world looks to the COP26 conference to guide global leaders on how countries can accelerate change, we are shining a spotlight on how Co-op, our customers, members and colleagues can all play their part in the fight against climate change on a community level.
“Through the launch of the Co-op26 campaign, we want to grab the attention of communities all across the UK to get them thinking, asking questions and taking action, as well as equip them to use their voice and successfully activate the ‘tell your politician’ pledge.”
Government backs Greater Manchester’s plan for a non-charging clean air zone
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s plan for the introduction of a non-charging clean air zone has been backed by the Government.
Defra and the Department for Transport (DfT) were said to have “rigorously assessed” an investment-led plan proposed by local Councils, and concluded that it will meet legal obligations to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution.
After much deliberation, the decision now means that drivers in Greater Manchester will not face additional charges, as the area is instead set to benefit instead from 117 new lower and zero-emission buses in a £86 million scheme to help clean up the region’s air.
🐝 We've set out a compelling plan to show how Greater Manchester can meet clean air targets with a non-charging approach, investing in:
🚍 Zero-emission electric buses on our @BeeNetwork 🚕 A Clean Taxi Fund 🚦 Better traffic management
Need bringing up to speed a bit first? The Clean Air Zone was to initially hand motorists daily charges of up to £60 for some of the most polluting vehicles on Greater Manchester‘s roads.
The Government agreed to delay the deadline for the scheme until 2026, but local leaders wanted to scrap all charges and help to fund vehicle upgrades instead.
GMCA then set out evidence supporting an investment-led, and, crucially for residents and motorists, a non-charging Clean Air Plan back in June 2022 – which it said was “the best solution” to address the roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) problem.
The Government has backed Greater Manchester’s plan for a non-charging clean air zone / Credit: The Manc Group | Flickr
While local authorities in other areas have found that a Clean Air Zone is the best route to cutting nitrogen dioxide pollution, proposals submitted to the Government included evidence that Greater Manchester can achieve compliance with legal limits faster but without charging.
The decision now means that the initial concept of a ‘Clean Air Zone’ will not go ahead in Greater Manchester.
Instead, there will be a fleet of new buses and traffic-calming measures to improve air quality in the region, as well as £8 million put towards support moving the region’s taxi fleet to ‘cleaner’ vehicles, and up to £22 million allocated for the administration, delivery, monitoring, and other costs associated with all of this.
Local leaders have also been told they can review and cancel contracts relating to the Clean Air Zone – such as signs and cameras dotted across the region.
We are pleased the Government has accepted GM’s investment-led approach to clean air.
Because of our success in delivering the Bee Network on time and on budget, we will not be required to introduce a charging zone. 👍🏻https://t.co/sXdAZ0s3Xx
“We are grateful to this Government for listening to Greater Manchester and for this vote of confidence in our investment-led approach to cleaning up our air,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, as the plans were approved.
“This is the right decision for Greater Manchester and it gives people here the certainty they have long needed.
“Because we have implemented the first phase of the Bee Network on time and on budget, the Government clearly trusts us to deliver and has seen the evidence that our approach is working.
“The Bee Network is cleaning up our air and keeping the cost of travel as low as possible.
“Its success is allowing us to remove a big weight of worry off the shoulders of people who need to drive as part of their job.”
Featured Image – Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
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Manchester United’s Old Trafford regeneration project backed by UK government
Danny Jones
Manchester United have officially received government backing for the redevelopment of their stadium and the wider regeneration of the surrounding Old Trafford area.
One of the first things that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group made a priority after acquiring their minority stake in the club was to bring the home ground up to standard and it looks as though that rather large task is now moving in the right direction.
With Chancellor Rachel Reeves dubbing the Old Trafford Regeneration Project as “a shining example” of the Labour plans to promote economic growth, Man United now have the full blessing of the government ahead of the real work beginning.
Liaising with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Trafford Council specifically to bring plans to fruition, the Old Trafford area as we know is set to be transformed significantly, with a new ‘Wembley of the North’ being the key component of the project.
ℹ️ The Old Trafford Regeneration Project has been backed by the government.#MUFC
The backing of the government means that beyond the club simply paying to redevelop the stadium itself, this will allow for other aspects such as improved transport infrastructure, housing and new businesses to be created as part of Old Trafford’s regeneration.
It’s also worth noting that no public money is on the table at present, with Ratcliffe, the Glazers and co. expected to foot the bill for all facets.
Reacting to the official statement by the UK Treasury, CEO Omar Berrada said: “The delivery of a world-class stadium can be the catalyst for major regeneration of an area of Greater Manchester which requires new investment to thrive again.
“We cannot achieve that wider aim on our own, which is why we welcome the announcement by the Chancellor and the ongoing support of the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Trafford Council.
If we work together, there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a landmark project around Old Trafford that the whole region can be proud of.”
This might not be Man United’s home forever. (Credit: The Manc Group)
As for the Mayor of Greater Manchester Mayor himself – who was appointed as a key figure on the Old Trafford Regeneration Taskforce – Andy Burnham went on to add: “With our devolved powers we’re mobilising the whole Greater Manchester system to lock in growth for the next decade and reap the rewards for our city-region and UK plc.
“We look forward to working with the Government on moving freight away from the site around Old Trafford to new locations to open up capacity for our rail network and unlock massive regeneration potential”, he continued, insisting that it will lead to “benefits across the whole of the North.”
Although it still remains unconfirmed whether or not the existing Old Trafford structure will be renovated – which would see an increased capacity of around 87,000 – or whether an entirely new 100k-seater stadium will be built instead, though the most recent fan survey seemed to favour the latter.