Campaigners have warned that village shops in East Wittering and Westbourne could be put at risk by plans to sell 15 Co-op stores after the merger of Southern Co-op with the national Co-op Group.

Save Our South Coast Alliance (SOSCA) has spoken out against the proposed sales, arguing that established village stores could be left vulnerable if suitable buyers cannot be found.

The shops at The Parade in East Wittering and The Square in Westbourne are among those affected by the plans, which form part of measures agreed following a review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

In a Facebook post on Friday (October 16), SOSCA warned that the future of local stores is at stake.

Campaigners have warned that village shops in East Wittering and Westbourne could be put at risk by plans to sell 15 Co-op stores after the merger of Southern Co-op with the national Co-op Group. Photo: Google Earth.

placeholder image — Campaigners have warned that village shops in East Wittering and Westbourne could be put at risk by plans to sell 15 Co-op stores after the merger of Southern Co-op with the national Co-op Group. Photo: Google Earth.

“The future of our local village shops is on the line, and we need to act immediately before a bad regulatory decision leaves us with empty storefronts and fewer options,” the group said.

The CMA identified competition concerns in locations where Southern Co-op and Co-op Group stores operate close to one another. To address these concerns, the Co-op has agreed to sell 15 stores as part of the merger process.

However, SOSCA argues that selling established village supermarkets could have the opposite effect to the one intended if shops struggle to find new owners or eventually close.

“The CMA claims they are doing this to ‘protect consumer choice’ following the Co-op merger. But in a small village, forcing out an established, working supermarket does the exact opposite,” the group said.

“If a buyer isn’t approved or the units end up closing, we lose a vital lifeline, jobs disappear, and consumer choice is completely destroyed.”

The plans have already prompted questions from East Wittering residents about the future of their local Co-op stores. There are currently two serving the area, including the shop at The Parade and another in nearby Bracklesham Bay.

The Co-op has previously confirmed that there are no plans to close either East Wittering store as a result of the merger. However, the shop at The Parade is among those earmarked for sale.

A Co-op spokesperson said: “We welcome the CMA’s acceptance of the remedies proposed as part of its review of the Southern Co-op transaction.”

The spokesperson added that there are no changes for colleagues, members or customers at this stage.

The retailer has stressed that a sale does not automatically mean a store will close, with the intention being for affected shops to transfer to new ownership and continue serving their communities.

The CMA has said it cannot comment while its consultation is ongoing, with updates to be published on its case page when available.

For now, the future of the affected stores will depend on the sale process and whether suitable buyers can be found.