The group has strengthened its pioneering pregnancy loss policy
Supermarket giant, Co-op, has doubled its current five days leave for pregnancy loss, ahead of the proposed Employment Rights Bill.
The policy – which applies to all parents, partners and intended parents via surrogacy – was first introduced in 2021 and applies from day one of employment and is active regardless of length of service, contracted hours, the stage or circumstances of the loss.
The new protocol offers up to 10 days’ fully paid bereavement leave, with flexible extensions based on individual needs and provides paid medical leave, access to counselling, mental health support, and referrals to specialist charities.
“Losing a baby at any stage is devastating, and no one should have to navigate that heartbreak without support,” said Shirine Khoury-Haq, Co-op group CEO. “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. Co-op also welcomes the Employment Rights Bill as a vital step forward and urge swift implementation, clear guidance for employers and—crucially—for more businesses to follow our lead and offer paid leave as standard.”
Vicki Robinson, Miscarriage Association chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to see the Co-op continue to lead the way in supporting colleagues through pregnancy loss. Doubling paid leave shows real compassion and sets an important example for other employers to follow.
“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.”
First launched in 2021, Co-op’s policy recognises pregnancy loss as a bereavement—not an illness—and provides compassionate, practical help to anyone affected.
Co-op’s approach was developed with the Miscarriage Association and is publicly available to encourage wider adoption across UK employers. More than one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage – around a quarter of a million each year in the UK – and feedback from Co-op colleagues shows that dedicated, flexible support improves wellbeing, retention and job satisfaction by breaking down the taboo and providing time to grieve.
This enhancement sits alongside Co-op’s wider commitments to bereaved parents, including four weeks’ fully paid leave for colleagues who lose a child under 18, and its long-standing advocacy which helped secure the Children’s Funeral Fund (2019).
To access Co-op’s pregnancy loss policy, visit: https://colleagues.coop.co.uk/pregnancy-loss-policy
