Managing a co-op is much more difficult. Basically, it depends on people. Where your view are very much aligned, you can do quite well. Where I live there are m

Managing a co-op is much more difficult. Basically, it depends on people. Where your view are very much aligned, you can do quite well. Where I live there are many green co-ops run by people with similar views and aims, and there is a sense of community. In this way you increase the chances of success. Also there is some relationship between the people who run the co-op and the customers. If this sense of community is lacking and people think about themselves mainly (as it normally happens), you can't make any meaningful decision. So in this case a more traditional business is likely to give much better results.