The New Zealand Cooperative Economy Report 2021
Using 2020 financial data
The New Zealand Cooperative Economy Report 2021 provides a critical comparative baseline, capturing the structure and scale of the cooperative economy during a period of significant economic disruption and change.
The second report of its kind undertaken in New Zealand, this edition is invaluable for identifying longitudinal trends of the top 30 cooperatives and mutuals by revenue.
What this edition focuses on
The 2025 report provides an up-to-date view of the cooperative economy using 2024 financial data, with a particular emphasis on:
Updates the original national mapping undertaken in 2017
Provides a COVID-era snapshot of cooperative performance and structure
Enables direct comparison between 2015 and 2020 data
Highlights structural shifts, resilience, and areas of pressure within the cooperative model
It remains highly relevant for understanding how cooperatives responded to global shocks and regulatory change.
How the 2021 report should be used
The 2021 report is particularly valuable for:
Trend analysis across multiple reporting periods
Retrospective policy and productivity analysis
Academic research examining resilience and structural change
Contextualising current data in the 2025 report
Relationship to other editions
Sits between the foundational 2017 study and the current 2025 report
Uses consistent definitions and methodologies to support longitudinal analysis.
Report at a glance
Publisher: Cooperative Business NZAuthors: pwc, cooperative business nzYear: 2021Focus: history, size and scale of the cooperative and mutual economyGeographic scope: new zealandFormat: PDF reportAudience: Policymakers, researchers, cooperative leaders
About the New Zealand Cooperative Economy reports
These reports provide infrequent but comprehensive snapshots of the scale, structure, and contribution of cooperatives and mutuals in New Zealand. Produced using consistent definitions and methodologies, they are designed to support longitudinal analysis over time and are widely used by researchers, policymakers, and media.
