Altman, Morris2015-02-112022-07-072015-02-112022-07-0723/02/20112011https://ir.wgtn.ac.nz/handle/123456789/19183Would you willingly pay more for groceries from the local cooperative than identical brands sold by the local branch of the privately-owned chain? Conventional economic theory suggests that a rational Homo Economicus would never entertain such a proposition. However Morris Altman's survey-based research on the role that social cohesion plays in consumers' choices reveals that not only are the individuals who are members of the cooperative (and may therefore participate in other benefits) willing to pay the higher prices so too are non-members. These results speak to the potential strengths of consumer cooperatives (relative to non-coops) in competitive markets as consumers value the non-material benefits they receive from the cooperative's investments in social cohesion.pdfen-NZPermission to publish research outputs of the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation has been granted to the Victoria University of Wellington Library. Refer to the permission letter in record: https://ir.wgtn.ac.nz/handle/123456789/18870cooperativesconsumerssocial cohesionText