SuperQuinquin - Cooperative and participative supermarket

Déniché pour vous 34 file

May 2018

Réseau des collectivités Territoriales pour une Economie Solidaire (RTES)

The « Déniché pour Vous » files have been developed by the RTES. They present local initiatives in France, their environment, their purpose and their development, with particular emphasis on the role of local authorities. Whether the initiatives focus on the energy transition, shared spaces, the circular economy, food, sustainable mobility, immigration or digital technology, these case studies offer an instructive immersion in the field of territorial social innovation.

SuperQuinquin is Lille’s cooperative and participative SUPERMARKET. The SuperQuinquin project is driven by citizens who want to create an alternative to traditional supermarkets, offering quality products at affordable prices. SuperQuinquin is a participatory consumer cooperative. It offers its members access to high-quality everyday consumer products (food, hygiene, cleaning - among others) at the best prices, by promoting production methods that respect both people and the environment.

To download : fiche_deniche_pour_vous_n_34_-_superquinquin.pdf (390 KiB)

Origin and presentation of the initiative

SuperQuinquin is a participative consumer cooperative based in Lille’s Fives district (a priority urban policy area). It is run by citizens who want to create an alternative to traditional mass retailing, by offering quality everyday consumer products, often local, at affordable prices.

Based on the model of the Park Slope Food Coop, which has been operating for over 40 years in New York, and reviving the spirit of the first consumer cooperatives, SuperQuinquin is one of the first cooperative supermarkets in France, following in the footsteps of La Louve in Paris and alongside other supermarkets being set up or developed such as Supercoop in Bordeaux, l’Élèfan in Grenoble, la Chouette in Toulouse, la Meute in Grasse…

SuperQuinquin members are both customers and co-operators. They subscribe for 100 euros worth of shares in the cooperative, or 10 euros if they are on social welfare or studying. They also commit to doing 3 hours of service per month to ensure the smooth running of the supermarket. This self-management, no-profit model means low margins (set at 23%) and low prices (5 to 40% cheaper than in traditional shops, depending on the product), while guaranteeing a fair price for producers.

This approach attracts people from all walks of life, creating a sense of belonging to a collective enterprise that is also a place for sharing ideas and raising awareness about responsible consumption.

The role of local authorities

The City of Lille provided start-up funding of €10,000 in December 2016, while the Metropole Européenne de Lille supported the SuperQuinquin project with €20,000 as part of its Entreprendre Autrement call for projects. In 2021, SuperQuinquin bought its 800m² premises, still in the Lille-Fives district. In 2022, the SuperQuinquin model will be rolled out across the Lille metropolitan area with the support of the MEL and the DRAAF as part of the support for Territorial Food Plans and the « From Fork to Fork » call for projects. The aim of this initiative is to set up two more SuperQuinquin stores in the metropolitan area, so that every inhabitant of the metropolitan area can have access to a SuperQuinquin shop.

A second shop opened in September 2023 in the north of the city, where the towns of Villeneuve d’Ascq, Croix and Wasquehal meet. A project is being studied for the western sector, in the towns of Lomme and Lambersart.

Financing

In addition to the margins generated, the cooperative members’ shares and funding from local authorities, SuperQuinquin has also called on a Cigales club, bank loans, a SSE investment fund, a repayable advance from the Hauts-de-France Region and donations from foundations and individuals.

Key figures

Sources