CONSUMER COOPERATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: FROM GOODS-BASED COOPERATION TO NEEDS-BASED COOPERATION

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to theoretically reconsider the essence of consumer cooperation in the context of the transformation of the modern economy and to substantiate the need to move from the traditional model of goods-based cooperation to the concept of cooperation based on needs. Particular attention is paid to identifying the historical prerequisites for the emergence of consumer cooperation, analyzing the limitations of the sectoral approach to its interpretation, and exploring prospects for expanding cooperative activities in response to changing societal needs. Methodology. The study is based on systemic, historical-genetic, comparative, and functional approaches, which make it possible to examine the evolution of consumer cooperation in relation to changes in the economic structure of society and the nature of consumption. Results. It is argued that the historical identification of consumer cooperation with trade activities was due to the characteristics of industrial society. It is established that, under conditions of post-industrial development, digitalization, and increasing complexity of the structure of social consumption, the traditional sectoral interpretation of consumer cooperation does not fully reflect its potential. A functional approach is proposed, according to which the defining feature of consumer cooperation is not the sphere of economic activity, but its orientation toward the collective satisfaction of cooperative members’ needs. The possibilities of applying this approach to contemporary cooperative models are explored, and prospects for the development of platform cooperatives are identified. Practical implications. The proposed findings may be used to reconsider the strategic priorities for the development of consumer cooperation in Ukraine, expand the activities of cooperative organizations, and shape new models for meeting the needs of the population. Value/originality. The scientific novelty lies in substantiating the conceptual shift from a sectoral understanding of consumer cooperation as predominantly trade activity to its functional interpretation as a form of consumer self-organization aimed at the collective satisfaction of diverse needs.