Our elders no doubt recall the " co-operative stores " that were once evident just about everywhere. Others see co-operatives as providing a legal status whose usefulness resides in its flexibility. But what is the real story today behind these enterprises that claim to take their inspiration from the " co-operative ideal "?

The co-operative movement has a stronger foothold than ever on all five continents, with nearly 800 million members worldwide. In Belgium, it has undergone profound change, but also an astonishing revival.