Co-op has doubled the amount of paid leave available to colleagues affected by pregnancy loss, reinforcing its commitment to support colleagues through the bereavement and grief of pregnancy loss.
Under the updated policy, employees will now be entitled to 10 days’ paid bereavement leave, up from five, alongside a range of practical and emotional support measures.
The move follows a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons on 15 October, organised by the Miscarriage Association and sponsored by Co-op, to mark progress toward introducing statutory bereavement leave for pregnancy loss through the Employment Rights Bill.
First launched in 2021, Co-op’s policy recognises pregnancy loss as a bereavement rather than an illness and applies to all employees – regardless of length of service, hours worked, or the stage or circumstances of the loss. It supports both parents, including partners and intended parents via surrogacy, offering a level of inclusivity still rare in the UK retail sector.
The enhanced policy includes:
- 10 days’ paid bereavement leave as a general guide, with flexibility based on individual needs.
- Paid time off for medical appointments, plus access to counselling and wellbeing support.
- Guidance for managers to enable compassionate and timely conversations.
- Emergency leave for colleagues whose family members experience pregnancy loss.
“Losing a baby at any stage is devastating, and no one should have to navigate that heartbreak without support,” Shirine Khoury-Haq, Co-op Group CEO, said.
“By doubling paid leave for pregnancy loss, we’re giving our colleagues the time and space they need, without added financial or work pressures. This is about compassion, fairness and breaking the silence around pregnancy loss.”
She added that Co-op welcomes the Employment Rights Bill as a “vital step forward” and urged other employers to follow suit in offering paid leave as standard.
Vicki Robinson, chief executive of the Miscarriage Association, said Co-op’s decision “sets an important example for other employers to follow,” adding: “The Co-op has been a strong supporter of our Leave for Every Loss campaign, and this update reinforces their commitment to treating pregnancy loss as the bereavement it is.”
Sarah Owen MP, chair of the Women and Equalities Committee who hosted the parliamentary reception, echoed those sentiments.
“Pregnancy loss is a bereavement, not an illness, and no one should have to face that heartbreak without time and support to grieve. Co-op’s decision to double paid leave sets an important example for employers across the UK,” she said.
“This is about dignity, fairness and breaking the silence around an issue that affects hundreds of thousands of people every year.”
The retailer developed its policy with the Miscarriage Association and has made it publicly available to encourage adoption across other UK businesses. With around one in five pregnancies ending in miscarriage each year, Co-op says the policy has improved staff wellbeing, retention, and job satisfaction by breaking down taboos around baby loss.
The enhancement forms part of Co-op’s broader support for bereaved families, which also includes four weeks’ fully paid leave for colleagues who lose a child under 18 and long-standing advocacy for parental rights, including support for the Children’s Funeral Fund introduced in 2019.