Turning loyalty into commercial return
-
Challenge
Co-op’s own research revealed a clear trend: members wanted an easier, mobile-first way to manage their membership. Specifically, they wanted a digital membership card on their phone where their loyalty benefits would be accessible in one place. The potential benefits for Co-op were equally clear: deeper engagement, a direct channel to members, and a stronger case for what sets Co-op apart.
-
Solution
In 2017, Co-op partnered with Apadmi, of which Droids On Roids is a part. They began with product and technology strategy work to scope out the opportunity for a membership app. Nearly two years of iterative design, development, and testing followed, including a colleague beta that took place across the UK and influenced the product’s development from start to finish before its public launch in 2020.
The launch included a bundle of member-first features, such as a digital membership card, Apple Wallet integration, personalized weekly offers based on real spending habits, a complete view of member rewards, and the option to donate your balance to local causes, tying everyday shopping to community impact.
From 2021 to 2023, the focus shifted to scaling up and optimization. A dedicated ASO program was launched, and iOS App Store impressions grew 297% year over year. Cumulative downloads surpassed 5 million, and £100 million was donated to community causes.
From 2024 to 2025, a new wave of features was introduced to solidify category leadership: These include Google Wallet integration for offline in-store scanning, seasonal in-app games and challenges, personalized “booster” offers that reward specific shopping habits, exclusive Co-op Live Arena presale access (the Lady Gaga presale alone drove a 261% spike in app opens), and accessibility upgrades, including VoiceOver, voice control, and dark mode.
An ongoing A/B testing program now informs product decisions, and weekly active users have surpassed 1.4 million, with the app achieving the #1 iOS category rank.
-
Results
The app has been downloaded more than 5 million times, including 2.1 million iOS downloads in 2025 alone, up from 1.93 million in 2024. Its weekly active membership surpasses 1.4 million, 40% ahead of Co-op’s original target. Members select more than 1 million personalized offers each week, resulting in an average order value of £37.19.
The app has demonstrated strong stability at scale. It boasts a crash-free rate of over 99% across iOS and Android, an iOS App Store rating of 4.8, and 86% of its iOS reviews are five-star.
Apadmi’s ongoing App Store Optimization program has driven sustained gains in discovery. The app reached the #1 rank in the iOS category in 2025 and spent 91 days in the top 10, which is a 65% year-over-year increase. A dedicated, custom product page for communities increased conversions to 28%, compared to 18% on the standard page. On Android, the app averaged a category rank of 14, peaking at #5.
The impact extends beyond the balance sheet as well. Through the app’s donate-your-balance feature, more than £100 million has been donated to local causes, with 43,500 causes being chosen by members each week. The team continues to collaborate with Co-op on new features, including the recently launched Member Prices. This £240 million investment will save members up to £300 a year for five years.
Awards:
- Collaboration Award – MPA Inspiration Awards 2021
- Best eCommerce App Development Project – App Developer Awards 2021
- ‘Be Yourself Always’ Award – Co-op Partner Awards 2020
-
Download the app
