Southern Co-op has announced that members voted in favour of a merger with Co-op to create a major cooperative society.

There was a Special General Meeting of Southern Co-op which was held on Thursday, 21 May, which saw the members vote strongly in agreement with the proposal to join forces with the Co-operative Group.

This marks a major move which will see the two retailers join to form one major business which aims to provide more benefits for members, colleagues and communities across the UK.

CEO of Southern Co-op, Ben Stimson, said in a statement previously: “The Co-operative Group shares our values and our commitment to democratic membership, ethical sourcing and fair reward, as well as our dedication to supporting local communities.

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“By coming together, we can secure the co-operative future of Southern Co-op as part of a stronger combined Co-op Group whilst creating an even stronger voice nationally and internationally to advance the co-operative cause.”

The transaction is subject to the completion of formal regulatory steps, and the companies expect to close the deal by the end of July.

According to the business, over 16,091 members voted, which is significantly higher than the first and reflects strong engagement from the members.

Both businesses are expected to continue to be run independently as they seek CMA approval for the pending merger.