Co-op updates trans inclusion policy following UK Supreme Court ruling

The Co-operative Group has updated its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, removing previous language that allowed trans staff to use gender-specific toilets where they felt “safest”. The change affects approximately 54,000 employees.

The policy revision follows a 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling which determined that the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act refers to biological sex. It also aligns with new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) regarding single-sex spaces, which allows for such spaces to be based on biological sex.

Under the new policy, the retailer aims to provide individual, lockable gender-neutral units wherever possible. Decisions regarding access to gendered facilities will be handled “sensitively and on a case-by-case basis”. A Co-op spokesperson stated the update was made following legal advice and staff consultation to ensure compliance with legal obligations while supporting trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues.