Product Selection

As stated in our Purchasing Policies, as a core part of its commitment to fiscal, environmental, and social responsibility, North Coast Co-op strives to purchase and sell products that are:

Environmentally Sound The Co-op strives to purchase and sell products which have significant positive environmental impacts in their production or use. Significant positive impacts may include, but are not limited to, regeneration of soil, restoration of habitat, investment in clean, renewable energy, and removal of pollutants and greenhouse gases from the environment.

The Co-op strives not to purchase or sell products which have significant negative environmental impacts in their production, transportation, or use. Significant negative impacts may include, but are not limited to, the generation of excessive and/or unnecessary packaging waste, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, habitat destruction, and unsustainable harvest of wild populations.

Socially Responsible
We strive to purchase and sell products which have significant positive social or economic impacts in the production or use. Significant positive impacts may include but are not limited to support for labor rights; fair compensation and good treatment of workers; support for co-ops; and positive political, cultural, economic or health effects on producers and/or consumers or on their communities. 

Local
We strive to purchase and sell products which are produced and/or processed locally, particularly when the producer is a local individual or a locally owned entity, and particularly when those products have significant positive environmental and/or social impacts as described above.
Read about our local partnership with Eureka Books>

Meeting Member-Owner Needs
The Co-op exists primarily for the mutual benefit for our member-owners. The Co-op respects the diverse needs of our member-owners and strives to sell products which meet those needs.

Exemption
Any, and all, products which the Co-op is required to carry to remain an authorized participant in the Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) shall be exempted from this policy to the extent that requirements of the WIC Program conflict with this policy.