On October 6, 1866, the first consumer associations in Ukraine were officially registered (approved by the Charter) in Kharkiv. Its founders were: prominent public figure Mykola Ballin, professor Beketov, professor Gordienko and others known by that time of the person. The chairman of the association was elected Professor Garnich-Garnitsky. The association united 356 members.
The first store of consumer society opened January 27, 1867, and immediately created a serious competition for local traders, because in the company’s store of goods, goods were released at lower prices and “full weight”. In 1869, in the composition of the consumer society, there were already three stores, a mineral water plant, a garment shop, a dining room, and a cafe. Annual turnover from trade amounted to 259192 rubles.
The activity of a consumer society was not limited to the sale of essential goods. Here they set up sales of agricultural products, supplied cloths and agricultural equipment to the peasants, opened sections for beer, tea, libraries, reading rooms, and developed new productions.
During 1866-1870, 17 other consumer associations were founded in Ukraine (in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Nikolaev, Ekaterinoslav, Poltava, Balti, Berdyansk, Borzny, Izyumi), which united mainly the intelligentsia.
The growth of the consumer co-operation system was observed in the 90’s and at the beginning of the 20th century. Currently, there are consumer associations organized by entrepreneurs and rural workers. During the years 1891-1904, 469 new consumer associations appeared in Ukraine.
In 1905, workers’ consumer cooperatives, organized at the expense of the workers themselves, are organized. In 1908, the Kiev Union of Consumer Societies was founded, which united 220 communities of Kyiv Region, Podillya, Chernihiv, Volhynia.
On July 7, 1920, the All-Ukrainian Union of Consumer Cooperative Organizations – Ukoopspilka was established in Kharkov, representatives of the Dnipropetrovsk Union, the Union of Ukrainian Workers’ Cooperatives, the Union of Consumer Unions of South Russia and the Southern Department of the Center Union.
On August 12, 1946, in accordance with the decision of the Center of the USSR No. 768, the Ukrainian Union of Consumer Cooperative Organizations (UKOOPSPILKA) was named “Ukrainian Republican Union of Consumer Societies of Ukraine (UKOOPSPILKA)”.
On June 17, 1992, the fifth meeting of the Ukoopspilka Council of the XV convocation of the Ukrainian Republican Union of Consumer Societies was renamed into the Central Union of Consumer Societies of Ukraine (Ukoopspilka).
On July 30, 2013, at the XXII (extraordinary) Congress of Consumer Cooperatives of Ukraine, a decision was made to reform the consumer co-operation of Ukraine through restructuring, namely the creation of a representative body of consumer co-operation of Ukraine – the All-Ukrainian Central Union of Consumer Societies ( Ukrkoopspilka (reference to the section About Us) .
