Updated on 7 November 2024 

1                        Introduction 

The business idea of the cooperative is to provide services and benefits for its co-op members. The cooperative form of enterprise means that the cooperative is owned by its members using its services, who have each invested the same amount in the company’s capital. The decision-making power in the cooperative is exercised by the co-op members, who are equal to one another. 

The profit generated by the cooperative’s business operations is used for the development of services. If there is a surplus after this, it can be distributed as interest on the membership fee to the co-op members who have paid their membership fee in full, or as a return of surplus in proportion to the use of services. 

The cooperative’s co-op membership, the Bonus and other co-op member benefits are managed through S Group’s common co-op membership system, which includes the following cooperative societies (domicile in brackets): 

Arina Cooperative Society (Oulu), Southern Karelia Cooperative Society (Lappeenranta), Southern Ostrobothnia Cooperative Society (Seinäjoki), Helsinki Cooperative Society Elanto (Helsinki), Hämeenmaa Cooperative Society (Lahti), Keskimaa Cooperative Society (Jyväskylä), Keula Cooperative Society (Rauma), Koillismaa Cooperative Society (Kuusamo), KPO Cooperative Society (Kokkola), Kymi Region Cooperative Society (Hamina), Maakunta Cooperative Society (Kajaani), PeeÄssä Cooperative Society (Kuopio), Pirkanmaa Cooperative Society (Tampere), Northern Karelia Cooperative Society (Joensuu), Satakunta Cooperative Society (Pori), Suur-Seutu Cooperative Society SSO (Salo), Suur-Savo Cooperative Society (Mikkeli), Turku Cooperative Society (Turku) and Varuboden-Osla (Kirkkonummi). 

S Group’s co-op membership system is based on the Co-operatives Act, the rules of the cooperative societies and cooperative principles. These rules describe the key aspects of co-op membership. 

All rights to amendments to the rules are reserved.  

2                        Principles of co-op membership 

Co-op membership can be applied for by a person who undertakes to comply with the rules of the cooperative and to pay the membership fee specified in the rules of the cooperative. The co-op member must have a personal identity code issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and an address in Finland. The cooperative needs personal identity codes for the reliable identification of its co-op members, for example, as well as for the payment of interest on the membership fee. 

The co-op member has the right to use the services provided by the cooperative. When using the services, they take advantage of the benefits in force at the time, on the terms determined by the Board of Directors of the cooperative. The Board of Directors of the cooperative may also, by decision, change the benefits and their implementation. 

2.1                    Co-op membership 

The co-op member is a personal member of the cooperative, which is part of the co-op membership system, and uses S Group’s services. To fully benefit from the co-op member benefits, the co-op member should be a member of their local cooperative society. As a rule, co-op member benefits apply to all members of the household. The exceptions are the right to vote and stand as a candidate in the election of the Council of Representatives of the cooperative society, as well as the right to interest on the membership fee, which only apply to the co-op member personally. 

The co-op member is served in basic matters related to co-op membership in any cooperative society which is part of S Group's co-op membership system, regardless of which cooperative society they belong to as a co-op member. 

2.1.1                 Joining 

A person can become a co-op member by downloading the S-mobiili app from their phone’s app store. They must have online banking credentials issued by one of the following banks: S-Bank, OP-Pohjola Group, Nordea, Danske Bank, Ålandsbanken, Handelsbanken, Aktia, Savings Banks or POP Bank. They can also become a member at S-kanava.fi or at a co-op member and S-Bank service point, which can be found in most Prisma and Sokos stores and in selected S-markets. The location of the nearest co-op member and S-Bank service point can be found on S-mobiili and at S-kanava.fi (search term: co-op member service). 

When joining the cooperative, the member enters into a co-op member agreement. The customer must always provide all the basic information requested for the co-op member agreement. The application details are treated confidentially. The co-op member agreement is completed and signed by the person who wishes to join the cooperative. Co-op membership has no age limit. For a customer aged under 18, the agreement is signed on their behalf by their guardian. An employee of S Group checks the identity of the member/guardian. The member pays the membership fee in full or in part. The information provided in the co-op membership agreement is stored in S Group's co-op member and customer register. More information is available at https://tietosuoja.s-ryhma.fi/en/data-protection-in-the-s-group/. 

When joining the cooperative, the member is issued with an S-Etukortti card (see section 3.7.). 

Acceptance as a co-op member has taken place when the co-op member agreement has been processed and the membership fee paid has been entered into S Group’s co-op member and customer register. The cooperative also has the right not to accept co-op membership. 

2.1.2                 List of members 

According to chapter 4, section 14 of the Co-operatives Act, the cooperative must keep a list of its co-op members. The list must include the name and address of the co-op member, their number of shares and their date of joining as a co-op member, as well as any termination date of co-op membership. A list of former co-op members must also be kept until the cooperative has returned their membership fees. In terms of the names of the co-op members and the start and end dates of their membership, the list of members must be kept for everyone to see at the head office of the cooperative. Co-op members, creditors and others who prove that their interests so require are entitled to see other information included in the list. Everyone has the right to receive a copy of the list or part thereof, after reimbursement of the related costs, to the extent that they have the right to see the information in the list. 

2.2                    Membership fee 

The co-op membership fee is an investment the cooperative’s capital. When joining the cooperative as a co-op member, the customer must accept one share and pay the cooperative membership fee laid down in its rules, which is the same for everyone. A co-op member may have only one share in the cooperative. If a co-op member wishes to withdraw from the membership of a cooperative, they will receive a refund of the membership fee in accordance with the provisions of the Co-operative Act and/or the rules of the cooperative society (see section 2.3.4). 

2.2.1                 Amount of the membership fee 

The amount of the co-op membership fee is specified in the rules of the cooperative society. The membership fee may be increased by a decision of the Council of Representatives of the cooperative society in accordance with the Co-operative Act. 

The membership fee must be paid to the cooperative society within the specified time limit. When joining the cooperative society, the co-op member pays the membership fee in full or in part. The remaining part of the membership fee must be paid within the time limit set out in the rules of the cooperative society. The membership fee is EUR 100, and the partial membership fee is EUR 20. In the case of partial payment, the payment period for the remaining part is usually two years. 

2.2.2                 Accruing the membership fee in the case of partial payment 

If the membership fee is not paid in full at the time of joining, the remaining part of the membership fee will be paid automatically from the Bonus, Refuelling Bonus or payment method benefit accumulated by the co-op member, or from the return of surplus. If the membership fee has not been paid in full, the benefits payable in cash to the co-op member are recorded as payment of the membership fee until it has been paid in full. The remainder of the membership fee can also be paid in cash at any time either on S-mobiili, in the co-op member's online service at s-käyttäjätili.fi or at a co-op member service and S-Bank service point. 

The membership fee must be paid in full within two years of being accepted as a co-op member (within five years at Helsinki Cooperative Society Elanto, the Southern Karelia Cooperative Society and the Turku Cooperative Society). If the co-op member has not paid the membership fee in full within the specified time limit, notification will be sent to them. 

2.3                    Termination of membership 

Co-op membership may terminate upon resignation or dismissal. 

2.3.1                 Resignation 

The co-op member may choose to resign from their co-op membership, in which case, as a rule, the membership fee will be returned to them immediately either in cash or to an account specified by the customer (more detailed information can be found in the rules of the cooperative society). 

The co-op member must notify their resignation in writing by means of a resignation notice, which must provide all the requested information. By signing the notice, the resigning co-op member approves the procedures related to the termination of co-op membership and the termination of co-op member benefits. At the same time, they must return all S-Etukortti cards related to their co-op membership. 

The resignation takes effect when the resignation notice has been delivered to a co-op member service and S-Bank service point. At the time of resignation, the right to all member benefits for the entire co-op member household expires. The right to co-op member benefits provided by S-Bank also expires. If the customer’s customer relationship with S-Bank continues after the termination of co-op membership and they no longer belong to any co-op member household, the service price list for non-member households will apply. 

2.3.2                 Dismissal 

The co-op member may be dismissed from the cooperative society if they have neglected their obligation arising from the co-op membership or if they cause harm or damage to the cooperative. In practice, dismissals most often concern cases where the membership fee has not been paid in full within the time limit specified in the rules. In such a case, the cooperative may dismiss the co-op member. 

The decision on the dismissal of the co-op member is made by the Board of Directors of the cooperative. The co-op member will be notified of the intention of and grounds for dismissal and of the governing body that will make the decision at least one month before the decision to dismiss is made. Notices are mailed to the address recorded in the cooperative’s list of members or otherwise known to the cooperative. 

In connection with the dismissal, the procedures related to the termination of co-op membership are carried out, where applicable, as above in connection with the resignation. At the time of dismissal, the right to all co-op member benefits for the entire co-op member household expires. 

The co-op member’s customer relationship with S-Bank does not expire automatically at the end of the co-op membership. The customer relationship with S-Bank must be terminated separately. Following termination of co-op membership, the S-Bank services used by the customer will be subject to the service price list for persons other than those belonging to a co-op member household. 

2.3.3                 Termination of co-op membership in the event of death 

Co-op membership may also end because of death. After receiving information about the co-op member’s death, the cooperative society sends information about the deceased person’s co-op membership and membership fee to the estate of the deceased person. Co-op membership and the membership fee paid must be entered into the deed of estate inventory. After the estate inventory has been completed, the deceased person’s co-op membership can be terminated or transferred to another person. Instructions are provided in a letter sent by the cooperative society. 

The assignees of the deceased co-op member have the right to use the financial right related to the co-op membership of the deceased person in the cooperative society for one year from the date of death. The assignees of the co-op member may decide whether they wish to transfer the co-op membership right to another person or whether the membership fee should be returned. The assignee to whom the deceased person’s co-op membership right has been transferred may be accepted as a co-op member if they notify the cooperative of this within one year of the date of death. If the assignee of the deceased co-op member does not exercise their right within the time limit, the co-op membership will be terminated. 

Issues related to the benefits payment account must be handled with S-Bank Plc. 

2.2.4                 Reimbursement of the membership fee 

When co-op membership ends, the membership fee is usually returned immediately either in cash or to the account specified by the customer (more detailed information is available in the cooperative’s rules). 

2.4                    Transfer of co-op membership right 

Co-op members are usually members of the cooperative society of their area of residence. When a co-op member moves to the area of another cooperative society, their co-op membership right can be transferred to another cooperative. It is also possible to transfer the right to another person in the same cooperative society. The transfer to another person most commonly concerns cases where the transfer is made between family members or other close relatives as a result of death, for example. More detailed instructions on the transfer of the co-op membership right are available from a co-op member service and S-Bank service point. 

2.5                    Changes to co-op member information 

The co-op member must notify the cooperative society of any changes in the information necessary for the management of co-op membership matters. Such information includes changes concerning the co-op member household and S-Etukortti cards, for example. The cooperative must have up-to-date information about the persons belonging to the co-op member household to ensure that the Bonus, Refuelling Bonus, payment method benefit, and other benefits paid in cash are calculated correctly. You can apply for the desired changes to the S-Etukortti features at a co-op member service and S-Bank service point, for example. 

Changes to the names and addresses of customers belonging to a co-op member household are updated to S Group’s co-op member and customer register from the population information system. Therefore, a customer belonging to a co-op member household does not have to notify the change of address separately to the cooperative if they have submitted an official notice of change of address to the population information system and do not have a valid prohibition on access to their personal data in the population information system. With an S User Account, the co-op member of an S Group cooperative society or a person belonging to the co-op member household can manage their own customer data by updating the composition of their co-op member household, for example. 

The mobile phone and email address information in S Group’s co-op member and customer register and the related marketing authorisations can be updated via the S User Account at S-käyttäjätili.fi, on the S-mobiili app, via a feedback form (choose “co-op membership, S-Etukortti card and Bonus” as the topic), at a co-op member service and S-Bank service point (most Prisma and Sokos stores, selected S-markets) or by calling S-Group’s co-op member service, tel. 010 76 5858 , Mon–Fri from 9 am to 4 pm (local network charge/mobile call charge).  

3                        Co-op member benefits 

3.1                    General principles 

The purpose of the cooperative is to provide its co-op members with benefits and services and thus promote their financial wellbeing. The Board of Directors of the cooperative society determines the co-op member benefits and their terms and conditions. 

The co-op member benefits generally apply to the entire co-op member household, and they accumulate only on purchases made for the use of the private household. To obtain benefits, it is sufficient that one person in the household is a co-op member. To obtain the co-op member benefit, a person must identify themselves so that the right to the benefit can be verified. You can identify as a co-op member either with a physical S-Etukortti card or digitally using a mobile application or an online service. Personal benefits based on co-op membership include any interest on the membership fee and the right to vote and stand as a candidate in the election of the Council of Representatives of the cooperative society. As a rule, all members of the co-op member household can benefit from other co-op member benefits provided by S Group and its partners and accumulate Bonus on their purchases. The right to co-op member benefits begins when co-op membership has been approved or the person has joined a co-op member household and ends when co-op membership ends or when the person no longer belongs to the co-op member household. 

Benefits paid in cash are paid to the account designated as the payment account for co-op member benefits at S-Bank. These benefits include the Bonus, Refuelling Bonus, payment method benefit, interest on the membership fee and return of surplus. 

3.1.1                 Co-op member household 

A co-op member household consists of persons whose purchases contribute to joint Bonus accumulation. A co-op member household forms around the main member. The main member must be a co-op member. The main member may invite people into their co-op member household or remove people by informing the cooperative society of this. Every member of a co-op member household signs an agreement on joining the co-op member household and S Group’s co-op membership system and accepts the related processing of their personal data within S Group’s co-op member and customer register. For underage children, the agreement is signed by the child’s guardian. 

A person can only be a member of one co-op member household at a time and contribute to the Bonus accumulation of one household, whose Bonus is paid to the main member of the co-op member household. A personal S-Etukortti card can be ordered for each member of a co-op member household for Bonus accumulation and the use of product and service benefits for co-op members. The right to an S-Etukortti ends when a person’s membership of a co-op member household ends. 

3.2                    Bonus and Refuelling Bonus 

The Bonus is a purchase reward paid to the co-op member based on the centralisation of purchases. The Bonus consists of Bonus paid on a percentage basis in accordance with the Bonus table of the cooperative and Refuelling Bonus (cents per litre). Bonus accumulates at all Bonus-granting places of business of S Group and its partners, and Refuelling Bonus accumulates at ABC service stations and unstaffed stations, regardless of which cooperative society the co-op member is a member of. Bonus and Refuelling Bonus are always calculated based the Bonus table of the main member of the co-op member household. Purchases made by the co-op member household during the calendar month that accumulate Bonus and Refuelling Bonus are added together. The amount of Bonus purchases determines the level of the Bonus table in accordance with which the Bonus is paid as a percentage of purchases other than fuel purchases and the Refuelling Bonus in cents per litre for fuel purchases. The Bonus and the Refuelling Bonus are benefits intended only for co-op members and granted for purchases related to their private households. No Bonus or Refuelling Bonus is therefore paid to corporations, and no Bonus or Refuelling Bonus is accumulated on purchases made with company cards. The current Bonus tables of the cooperative societies can be viewed on the S-kanava service. 

3.2.1                 Payment of Bonus and Refuelling Bonus 

The cooperative pays the Bonus accumulated on the purchases of the co-op member household and the Refuelling Bonus monthly to the account designated as the benefit payment account of the main member of the co-op member household. If the co-op membership fee has not yet been fully paid, the Bonus and the Refuelling Bonus payable will be used against the outstanding membership fee until the membership fee is fully paid. The Bonus and the Refuelling Bonus are be paid by the tenth day of the month following the purchases. 

The co-op member is responsible for checking that all Bonus purchases made by the co-op member household have been taken into account in the calculation of the Bonus and the Refuelling Bonus (by viewing their information on the S-mobiili app or their S User Account at s-käyttäjätili.fi). Any shortcomings must be notified to the cooperative society without delay. Bonus purchases made during the last days of the month may be entered into Bonus purchases for the month following the month of purchase. The cooperative and its business partners are not obligated to investigate or correct Bonus purchases older than one year. 

3.2.2                 Bonus accumulation 

Bonus accumulates at around 2,000 Bonus locations of S Group and its partners across Finland. The Bonus system covers not only S Group’s own chains and locations, but also those of specifically defined partners. More information about national and local partners is available through co-op member communications, from the co-op member’s local cooperative society, at S-kanava.fi (https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/partner-benefits/)  and from S Group’s co-op member service. 

S Group’s chains include, for example, the following: Prisma, S-market, Sale, Alepa, Food Market Herkku, Sokos, Emotion, Prisma Rauta, Sokos Hotels, Radisson Blu and Radisson Red Hotels in Finland, Rosso, Frans & les Femmes, Torero, Amarillo, Buffa, Coffee House, Presso, Public Corner, Grill it! and Trattoria and other S Group restaurants, S-Rauta, Karla, S Group car dealerships and ABC service stations and unstaffed stations. Bonus also accumulates on domestic and foreign holidays provided by S Group’s hotels and partners, and from S Group’s online stores (S-kauppa.fi, Sokos.fi and Prisma.fi). 

Fuel purchased at ABC service stations and ABC unmanned stations does not accumulate Bonus. Fuel purchases accumulate Refuelling Bonus (see section 3.2.3: Accumulation of Refuelling Bonus). Other ABC purchases accumulate Bonus. 

In addition to the Bonus outlets in Finland, Bonus accumulates on purchases made in separately specified S Group outlets abroad. 

Purchases qualifying for Bonus include purchases made in all Bonus outlets of S Group and its partner companies, with the exception of any special conditions for Bonus accumulation, which are discussed in more detail in section 3.2.4 and on the S-kanava service. Charging electric cars at ABC charging points accumulates Bonus. 

All persons belonging to the same co-op member household accumulate Bonus for the household with their personal S-Etukortti cards or as identified co-op members. Bonus for the total Bonus purchases of the co-op member household is paid to the main member of the household. Identifying as a co-op member or a member of a co-op member household (e.g. by showing an S-Etukortti card at the checkout terminal, by providing a member/customer number or by logging in to the service as a co-op member on digital services) serves as an authorisation to store purchase information in S Group’s co-op member and customer register and to display purchase information at the level of the total amount of Bonus that accumulates to the main member of the co-op member household. 

All members of the co-op member household are informed by email about the accumulated Bonus purchase amount and the Bonus paid if they have confirmed their email address in S Group’s co-op member and customer register. All members of the co-op member household are shown, on S-mobiili and the S User Account, information about the household’s total Bonus purchases and Bonus paid, as well as a breakdown of the Bonus purchases by chain/chain group. In addition, the main member of the co-op member household can view all Bonus purchases at the level of the total amount that accumulates Bonus (place and time of purchase, total purchase amount accumulating Bonus). Other members of the co-op member household can only view their own purchases at transaction level. 

Bonus accumulated for the current month can be viewed on S-mobiili, the S User Account and S-Etukortti terminals at outlets. 

3.2.2.1              Bonus accumulation based on showing the S-Etukortti card 

Bonus accumulates (and product and service benefits are provided) when the S-Etukortti card is presented at the checkout in connection with the payment transaction. The outlet has no obligation to retroactively add purchases made without a card to the accumulated Bonus. The S-Etukortti card is personal and can only be used by the person whose name is on the card. The card must not be given to another person to use. 

Purchases registered as Bonus purchases are displayed in the co-op member household’s joint Bonus accumulation and in purchase itemisations on, for example, on the S User Account, where the member can also check the co-op member household’s information. Changes concerning the co-op member household must be notified to the cooperative so that Bonus purchases and other benefits will accumulate correctly. 

3.2.2.2              Mobile S-Etukortti card 

3.2.2.2.1 Bonus accumulation when using the S-Etukortti card from Apple Wallet 

The iPhone users of S-mobiili app are able to add S-Etukortti card to Apple Wallet in S-mobiili app.      

With the S-Etukortti card added in Apple Wallet, in addition to accumulating Bonus on purchases, you also receive other co-op member benefits, such as electronic receipts and warranties. Payment-method-related benefit is also accrued when using S-Etukortti Visa card via Apple Pay. An up-to-date list of usage locations can be found at: https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/apple-wallet/  
 

3.2.2.2.2              Bonus accumulation when using the S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili 

Users of Android phones (version 8.0 or later) can activate their S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili to record Bonus at the checkout terminal without using a physical S-Etukortti card.  

The phone's NFC functionality must be enabled for the S-Etukortti card to be available on S-mobiili. To record Bonus at the payment terminal before payment with the mobile app, the user must specify in the phone settings that S-mobiili can, when activated, bypass the default payment application specified for mobile payment. Purchases recorded using the S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili also provide other benefits, such as electronic cash receipts and warranty receipts. Bonus purchases recorded using the S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili also provide a payment method benefit at most S Group locations when the payment method is S-Etukortti Visa used via Google Pay. 

An up-to-date list of S Group’s locations with S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili functionality is available at https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/android/  

3.2.2.2.3              Bonus accumulation when using the barcode on the S-Etukortti card 

Users of S-mobiili can accumulate Bonus and take advantage of co-op member benefits by showing the S-Etukortti barcode at the checkout.  

An up-to-date list of S Group’s locations with S-Etukortti barcode functionality is available at https//s-kanava.fi/-s-etukortti. 

3.2.2.3              Bonus accumulation for an identified co-op member who has provided their member/customer number or registered as a co-op member 

A co-op member of an S Group cooperative society or a person belonging to a co-op member household accumulates Bonus for purchases made on S Group’s online stores when they have identified themselves as a co-op member through their S User Account. The S User Account must be linked to co-op member information in order for the person to accumulate Bonus and other co-op member benefits on their online purchases.  An S User Account can be created at s-käyttäjätili.fi. 

Bonus can also be accumulated by providing a member/customer number or registering as a co-op member to the Bonus-granting service provider in a separately agreed manner. By registering as a co-op member, Bonus accumulates, for example, on some of LocalTapiola’s insurance policies. To accumulate Bonus, the holder of the agreement must be a co-op member or belong to a co-op member household. The person in the co-op member household who has entered into an agreement with the partner will register for the partner. 

Bonus purchases based on providing a member/customer number or registering as a co-op member (e.g. (LocalTapiola) are not generally visible in the accumulated Bonus purchases until the last days of the month of payment of the invoice, or if the invoice has been paid at the end of the month, in the month following the month of payment of the invoice. 

3.2.3                Refuelling Bonus accumulation 

Refuelling Bonus accumulates on fuel purchased at ABC service stations and ABC unstaffed stations. The total amount of the co-op member household’s monthly Bonus purchases determines the level of the Bonus table based on which the co-op member household’s purchases accumulate Bonus as a percentage of purchases other than fuel purchases and Refuelling Bonus in cents per litre on fuel purchases. 

All persons belonging to the same co-op member household accumulate Refuelling Bonus with their personal S-Etukortti cards or on ABC-mobiili when the customer has identified as a co-op member on ABC-mobiili. Refuelling Bonus for purchases that accumulate Refuelling Bonus for the entire co-op member household is paid to the main member of the co-op member household. 

All members of the co-op member household are informed by email about the Refuelling Bonus paid if they have confirmed their email address in S Group’s co-op member and customer register. S-mobiili, the S User Account and S-Etukortti terminals show information about the total Refuelling Bonus purchases and litres refuelled, as well as the amount of the Refuelling Bonus paid. An up-to-date itemisation of purchases that accumulate Refuelling Bonus can be viewed by the members of the co-op member household on S-mobiili and the S User Account, for example. In the services, the main member of the co-op member household can view a summary of the household’s Bonus purchases and all the Bonus purchases of the household at transaction level. Other members of the co-op member household can view a summary of the household’s Bonus purchases, as well as and their own purchases at transaction level. 

3.2.4                 Special terms and conditions for Bonus Accumulation 

Bonus accumulates only on the private purchases of the co-op member household. It is therefore not permissible to accumulate Bonus when using corporate payment cards, even if the card also has the cardholder’s name on it. 

Bonus does not accumulate on purchases to be invoiced or products with contract prices, unless otherwise agreed. Bonus does not accumulate on tax-free purchases made at S Group locations. 

Bonus does not accumulate for the buyer on purchases of S Group gift cards, but Bonus accumulates on purchases made by the user of the gift card if they have an S-Etukortti card. 

Most traded products such as gambling and lottery products are not subject to Bonus. 

No Bonus accumulates on purchases of tobacco products, tobacco substitutes, smoking equipment, imitation tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine liquids and nicotine preparations, beverages containing more than 1.2% by volume of ethyl alcohol and food products containing more than 2.8% by volume of ethyl alcohol, such as sweets, ice cream and tinned foods. 

The proportion of the bottle deposit is recorded as a Bonus purchase when the beverage is purchased, and the bottle deposit is paid. Bonus accumulates on the total amount of the purchase, so when the bottles are returned, they reduce the total amount that accumulates Bonus. 

S Group restaurants’ co-op member benefits are intended for co-op member households, not groups. Member-priced products (certain wines and meals) are only sold to individual co-op members and their table parties when the co-op member pays the bill. The co-op member can accumulate Bonus for the purchases of the entire table party if they pay the entire bill using their personal payment instrument. A group customer (e.g. the organiser of a wedding or similar family celebration who pays the entire bill using their personal payment card or cash) can accumulate Bonus on their purchase and use member-priced products if this has been expressly agreed when placing the order. 

To ensure co-op member benefits at S Group’s hotels, it is advisable to mention the S-Etukortti card when making a reservation. Accommodation at co-op member prices and the accumulation of Bonus requires that someone from the co-op member household pays for the room using their personal payment instrument (e.g. a room paid for as a gift or accommodation for the entire party). To accumulate Bonus, the room must be reserved through S Group’s own booking channels. These include sokoshotels.fi, radisson-blu.fi, Sokos Hotels and Radisson Blu Hotels sales services, Sokos Hotels in Finland and Tallinn, and Radisson Blu and Radisson RED Hotels in Finland. If the hotel room is paid for online, the S-Etukortti card member/customer number must be reported in connection with the payment. Bonus cannot be recorded afterwards for accommodation paid for online. The co-op member also accumulates Bonus for accommodation at the member price when paying with a voucher in the case of private travel and leisure-time prices. At hotels, Bonus accumulates on all private travel prices and hotel packages (not corporate prices). For the various group prices at hotels (e.g. sports and meeting prices), co-op members accumulate Bonus when they pay their own share of the bill. Hotels accept only one loyalty card, so Bonus does not accumulate when using an S-Card, a Club Carlson card or airline cards (e.g. Finnair Plus). 

At S Group car dealerships, Bonus accumulates on maintenance, spare parts and accessories. The Bonus on purchasing a car varies by co-operative society. 

At ABC service stations and unstaffed stations, Bonus accumulates on charging electric cars. Instead of Bonus, fuel purchases at such stations accumulate Refuelling Bonus in cents per litre based on the Bonus table of the cooperative society of the main member of the co-op member household. 

Purchases of heating/fuel oil are subject to the cooperative society's separately stated terms and conditions for co-op member benefits. 

For partners, the special terms and conditions for Bonus accumulation applicable at the time in question are followed. 

3.2.5                 Checking Bonus and Refuelling Bonus information 

Members of the co-op member household can check the Bonus and Refuelling Bonus information on S-mobiili, on the S User Account and at S-Etukortti card terminals at outlets. The service shows a summary of the household’s Bonus purchases and a list of Bonus purchases by outlet at the level of the total amount. The main member of the co-op member household can view all the Bonus purchases made by the household. Other members of the co-op member household can view itemisations of their own Bonus purchases. 

An S User Account can be created at s-käyttäjätili.fi. The S User Account must be linked to the co-op member information in order for the Bonus information to be shown in the service.  

S-Etukortti card terminals provide information about the co-op member household’s accumulated Bonus purchases. An S-Etukortti card terminal can be used with the S-Etukortti card and the personal four-digit customer ID, which can be checked from the S User Account at s-käyttäjätili.fi. 

3.3                    Payment method benefit 

The payment method benefit is a co-op member benefit at S Group’s Finnish locations. The benefit is 0.5% of the total amount of purchases covered by the payment method benefit that are made using an S-Etukortti Visa card. The payment method benefit is the cooperative’s way of returning the cost savings generated by payment using an S-Etukortti Visa card to the co-op member households that have chosen the S-Etukortti Visa card as a payment method. 

3.3.1                 Payment of accumulated payment method benefit 

The cooperative pays the payment method benefit accumulated on the purchases of the co-op member household to the payment account of the main member of the co-op member household at S-Bank by the tenth day of the month following the month of accumulation. If the co-op membership fee has not yet been fully paid, the payment method benefit payable will be used against the outstanding membership fee until the membership fee is fully paid. 

3.3.2                 Payment method benefit accumulation 

The payment method benefit accumulates on purchases covered by the payment method benefit that are made using an S-Etukortti Visa card. The payment method benefit accumulates on purchases made using all S-Etukortti Visa cards, both from the S-bank account (debit) and from the credit facility (credit). The payment method benefit is specific to the co-op member household. All persons belonging to the co-op member household accumulate payment method benefit on purchases made using their S-Etukortti Visa cards for the main member of the co-op member household. 

When paying using an S-Etukortti Visa via Apple Pay and Google Pay, purchases accumulate payment method benefit at some S Group locations when the Bonus is first recorded using the mobile app or a physical card. An up-to-date list of these locations can be found at https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/  

3.3.3                 Special terms and conditions for payment method benefit accumulation 

Restrictions apply to the accumulation of the payment method benefit at car dealerships and S-Rauta, for example. At car dealerships, the payment method benefit accumulates on maintenance, spare parts and accessories, but not on purchasing a car. At S-Rauta, the payment method benefit accumulates on purchases made for private household purposes that also accumulate Bonus. The payment method benefit does not accumulate on withdrawals, deposits of debt repayments. Most traded products such as gambling and lottery products are not subject to the payment method benefit. No payment method benefit accumulates on purchases of tobacco products, tobacco substitutes, smoking equipment, imitation tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine liquids and nicotine preparations, beverages containing more than 1.2% by volume of ethyl alcohol and food products containing more than 2.8% by volume of ethyl alcohol, such as sweets, ice cream and tinned foods. 

Purchases of heating/fuel oil are subject to the cooperative society's separately stated terms and conditions for co-op member benefits. 

3.3.4                 Checking payment method benefit information 

The members of the co-op member household can view the amount of payment method benefit paid on S-mobiili and the S User Account. All members of the co-op member household are also informed by email if they have confirmed their email address in S Group’s co-op member and customer register. The amount of purchases that qualify for the payment method benefit for the current month can be checked on S-mobiili and S User Account, by visiting a co-op member service and S-Bank service point or by calling S Group’s co-op member service. 

3.4                    Return of surplus 

Some cooperative societies may distribute surplus generated as a result of business operations as returns of surplus. If the Council of Representatives of a cooperative society decides to distribute returns of surplus, the returns will be paid to those co-op members whose membership is valid on the last day of the financial period in question and whose membership of one of S Group’s cooperative societies continues at the time of payment. 

The amount of the return of surplus to be paid is decided separately by the Council of Representatives on an annual basis in accordance with a proposal by the Board of Directors. The return of surplus is based on Bonus purchases made at outlets owned by the co-op member’s local cooperative society. The grounds for return of surplus do not include Bonus purchases made at the cooperative society’s subsidiaries, other cooperative societies’ outlets, SOK’s units or S Group partners’ outlets. 

The return of surplus is paid to the co-op members’ benefit payment account at S-Bank. If the co-op membership fee has not yet been fully paid, the return of surplus payable will be used against the outstanding membership fee until the membership fee is fully paid. The co-op member will be informed about the return of surplus paid on the S User Account and by email if they have confirmed their email address to S Group’s co-op member and customer register. Return of surplus is not paid to corporations. 

3.5                    Interest on the membership fee 

If, based on a proposal by the Board of Directors, the Council of Representatives of a cooperative society decides to distribute the surplus generated as a result of business operations as interest on the membership fee, it will be paid for the entire year to those co-op members whose membership fee has been paid in full by the last day of the financial period and whose membership of one of S Group’s cooperative societies based on the membership fee continues at the time of the interest payment.  Interest on the membership fee is therefore not paid to co-op members whose membership fee has not been paid in full. 

The amount of any interest to be paid is determined by the Council of Representatives on an annual basis in accordance with a proposal by the Board of Directors. 

The interest on the membership fee is paid to the co-op member’s benefit payment account at S-Bank. The co-op member will be informed about the payment of interest on the S User Account at s-käyttäjätili.fi and by email if they have confirmed their email address to S Group’s co-op member and customer register. 

The cooperative society reports the interest paid on the membership fee to the Tax Administration. The co-op member must check to ensure that the interest paid on the membership fee during the tax year has been entered as capital income in their tax return. This does not require a separate certificate. The interest paid by the cooperative society on the membership fee is capital income for the co-op member. S Group’s cooperative societies comply with the tax regulations for cooperatives other than publicly listed cooperatives, according to which 25% of the interest on the membership fee is taxable and 75% is tax-exempt. The cooperative society does not withhold tax on payments up to EUR 20. The tax is collected by the Tax Administration in connection with the member’s final taxation. 

3.6                    Product and service benefits 

The product and service benefits for co-op members can be used with the S-Etukortti card or the S-mobiili application or in an online service immediately in connection with the purchase of a product or service if the co-op member has identified as a co-op member in the online service. The benefits may be national, cooperative society-specific or targeted at a specific customer group based on their customer relationship or use of services. More information about co-op member benefits is available on S-mobiili and in the S-kanava service, through co-op member communications, at outlets and in Yhteishyvä magazine. 

Product and service benefits can be permanent, such as the continuously lower room prices offered by S Group’s hotels for co-op members. Permanent benefits also include the Sokos stores’ product benefits that change monthly, as well as restaurants’ co-op member products such as co-op member wines and special prices on meals for co-op members. 

Each member of the same co-op member household can view the amount of discounts on purchase made by the household members on S-mobiili and the S User Account. 

3.7                    S-Etukortti card 

The S-Etukortti card is the key to S Group’s co-op member benefits. The S-Etukortti card accumulates Bonus, and the cardholder is entitled to co-op members’ product and service benefits. Payment functionalities provided by S-Bank Plc can be included on the S-Etukortti card. In addition to the S-Etukortti card, an S-Bank Private Visa card issued by S-Bank also entitles its holder to co-op member benefits if the cardholder is a co-op member or belongs to a co-op member household. S-Etukortti cards are not granted to companies or corporations. The S-Etukortti card (both the physical card and the digital card on S-mobiili) is personal and cannot be handed over to another person. 

An S-Etukortti card is ordered for the co-op member in connection with their approval as a co-op member. S-Etukortti cards under their own names can also be ordered for other members of the co-op member household who make purchases. All S-Etukortti cardholders have equal rights to product and service benefits, but Bonus and the payment method benefit accumulate for and are paid to the main member of the co-op member household. 

When the S-Etukortti card is displayed and read at a payment terminal, this serves as an authorisation to store the purchase data in S Group’s co-op member and customer register and to display purchase information at transaction level to the main member of the co-op member household. Purchases are recorded in the household’s accumulated purchases, and the related Bonus, payment method benefit and return of surplus are paid to the main member of the co-op member household. 

When becoming a co-op member at an outlet, the member is provided with one or two temporary S-Etukortti cards, which enable cardholders to accumulate Bonus and take advantage of product and service benefits. The temporary S-Etukortti card is valid only for the period indicated on the card. When the actual S-Etukortti card arrives by post at home, the temporary card must be disabled by cutting it in half. 

The S-Etukortti card may be a cash card, or it may be equipped with payment features provided by S-Bank, and it may also be used through your phone. 

The right to an S-Etukortti card ends when a person’s membership of a co-op member household ends. 

3.7.1                 Mobile S-Etukortti card  

A mobile S-Etukortti card makes it easy to accumulate Bonus and redeem other co-op member benefits, even without a physical S-Etukortti card. The purpose of the mobile S-Etukortti card is to particularly serve those co-op members who use mobile payments for their purchases by using Google Pay or Apple Pay, for example. However, the customer can choose the payment method they prefer, including a physical payment card or cash. The mobile S-Etukortti card is not a means of payment.  
 

3.7.1.1 S-Etukortti card in Apple Wallet 

An S-Etukortti card can be added in Apple Wallet. An up-to-date list of S Group locations where S-Etukortti card works with Apple Wallet can be found at: https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/apple-wallet/  

3.7.1.2                 S-Etukortti card on the S-mobiili app 

The S-Etukortti card with NFC functionality can be activated on the S-mobiili app on Android phones. 

The S-Etukortti card in S-mobiili can be used in almost all S Group locations that accept physical S-Etukortti cards. For more information and instructions for using and activating the service, please visit: https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/android/  

3.7.1.3                 S-Etukortti card barcode 

The barcode is available to all users of S-mobiili. The S-Etukortti barcode is showed to the personell at the checkout.    

An up-to-date list of S Group’s locations with S-Etukortti barcode functionality is available at https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/barcode/  

3.7.3                 Lost S-Etukortti card 

The loss of an S-Etukortti Visa card must be reported without delay to payment card cancellation hotline, tel. 020 333, or S-Bank’s customer service, tel. 010 76 5800, Mon–Fri from 9 am to 4 pm (EUR 0.0835 per call + EUR 0.1209 per minute). The cardholder’s liability for card abuse ceases at the time of notification. In the event of a lost cash card, it is sufficient to notify a co-op member service and S-Bank service point or S Group’s co-op member service, tel. 010 76 5858, Mon–Fri from 9 am to 4 pm (local network charge/mobile call charge) and place an order for a new card. 

3.8                    Customer relationship with S-Bank 

The co-op member must have an account designated as a payment account with S-Bank for benefits payable in cash. 

S-Bank Plc provides co-op members with financial services: accounts for saving and investing, payment services (e.g. through S-mobiili and online banking), loans to balance household finances, and the possibility to include payment functionalities on the S-Etukortti card. Banking services for persons belonging to the co-op member household are subject to their own price list. Accounts, cards, online banking credentials and mobile services are free of charge for those belonging to the co-op member household. 

More information about S-Bank is available at www.s-pankki.fi or by calling S-Bank’s customer service, tel. 010 76 5800 Mon–Fri from 9 am to 4 pm (local network charge/mobile call charge). 

3.9                    Payment account for benefits 

When a person becomes a co-op member, an S-Tili account is opened for them with S-Bank for the payment of benefits, or their existing account with S-Bank is designated as their account for the payment of benefits. Benefits payable in cash, such as Bonus, are paid to the designated account. In accordance with decisions made by the cooperative's Board of Directors, benefits payable in cash can only be paid to an account at S-Bank. If the co-op member has multiple accounts with S-Bank, one of them must be designated as the payment account for benefits. 

An S-Tuottotili or S-Rahastotili account can also be designated as a payment account for benefits. 

The terms and conditions for S-Bank accounts are available at www.s-pankki.fi. 

3.10                  Opportunity to influence cooperative operations 

The co-op member can have an impact on the management of their cooperative society by participating in the election of the Council of Representatives and by being elected as a member of a governing body (Council of Representatives, Supervisory Board, Board of Directors). 

The election rules of the Council of Representatives of the cooperative society provide for the voting rights of the co-op members and their eligibility to stand as a candidate in the election of the Council of Representatives. Every co-op member admitted to the cooperative society before the election year is entitled to vote. The co-op member must have turned 15 before the beginning of the election year. Resigned or dismissed co-op members or the assignees of a deceased member are not entitled to vote. 

Any co-op member who has been admitted to the cooperative society before the beginning of the election year, who has paid their membership fee in full, and who is legally competent and lives in the cooperative society’s area of operation at the beginning of the election can stand as a candidate. 

3.11                  Yhteishyvä magazine 

Yhteishyvä provides information about current co-op member benefits, among other topics. The magazine is distributed at S Group’s supermarket locations. Co-op members and members of co-op member households are entitled to a free copy by showing their S-Etukortti card. The magazine is also available online at Yhteishyva.fi. 

3.12                  Co-op member benefits in the event of resignation or transfer 

Co-op member benefits expire at the moment of resignation. Bonus and the payment method benefit will not be paid for the month of resignation. In cases of the transfer of the right of membership, the co-op member benefits will generally continue uninterrupted. Following a transfer, Bonus will accumulate in accordance with the new cooperative society’s Bonus table from the beginning of the month of transfer. 

4                        Data protection and processing of personal data 

S Group protects the privacy of its co-op members and customers and actively provides information about its data protection principles. More information is available at https://tietosuoja.s-ryhma.fi/. In processing personal data, we comply with the applicable data protection legislation and official instructions. 

4.1                    S Group's co-op member and customer register 

According to chapter 4, section 14 of the Co-operatives Act, a cooperative society must keep a list of its members (see section 2.1.2: List of its members). The customer registers of S Group’s cooperative societies, as well as other customer data related to co-op members and their co-op member households, are managed through S Group's co-op member and customer register. Information about the processing of personal data in S Group’s co-op and customer register is available at https://tietosuoja.s-ryhma.fi/asiakkaana/asiakasomistajuus-ja-henkilotietojen-kasittely/. 

The data in S Group’s co-op member and customer register is used, for example, for the provision of benefits and services under S Group’s co-op membership system, the management of co-op member and customer relationships, and customer communications. The data is also used in business planning and development (e.g. customer surveys carried out via email, S Group’s network and product selection planning). In addition, the register data can be used for direct marketing carried out by S Group and its partners, unless separately prohibited by the customer. The term “S Group” refers to the cooperative societies and the SOK Group with its subsidiaries and associated companies. The term “partner” means companies that grant Bonus and/or benefits to co-op members, for example, and companies that cooperate with S Group, carry out joint marketing operations or buy media visibility from S Group. 

Co-op members can prohibit direct marketing, research surveys, the use of their customer data for analytics and profiling, targeted advertising in channels outside S Group and the processing of product-level purchase data by logging in to the S User Account at www.s-käyttäjätili.fi or by notifying S Group’s co-op member service. 

S Group’s co-op member and customer register provides the Tax Administration with information about interest paid on the membership fee and returns of capital. Information may also be disclosed within the limits permitted and required by current legislation when responding to legal requests for information by the authorities, for example. SOK manages, in a joint register of SOK and S-Bank, limited customer data on the joint customers of S Group and S-Bank – that is, persons who are S-Bank’s customers and co-op members or members of the co-op member household. Our joint customers also include all S-mobiili users and customers who become co-op members through the “Liity asiaskasomistajaksi” (“Become a co-op member”) online service, regardless of whether they are also S-Bank’s customers, as these services are provided jointly by S Group and S-Bank. SOK discloses to the joint register of SOK and S-Bank the customer’s name and address, personal identity code, date of birth, gender, language, direct marketing ban, electronic marketing permits, prohibition on research surveys, prohibition on telephone marketing and Robinson ban information, information about the customer’s membership of a co-op membership household, information about the right of discount of S Group’s personnel and changes in this information. SOK discloses information about your online groceries purchases to the cooperative society for the delivery of your orders. Based on the customer’s request, SOK Corporation also discloses information about the customer’s co-op membership to S Group’s Bonus partners. See also section “List of Members”. Otherwise, registered data is not disclosed to be used for purposes outside S Group’s co-op membership system. 

The data stored in S Group’s co-op member and customer register is information provided by the customer in their co-op membership agreement or their agreement on joining the co-op membership system or later. In addition, information about purchases made using the S-Etukortti card or when logged in as an identified co-op member is collected in the register. Purchase data can be collected in the register at product level if the customer has not prohibited this. Registering purchases made using an S-Etukortti card or as an identified co-op member serves as an authorisation to store the purchase information in the register. 

The main member of a co-op member household can view, in their registration data and on S-mobiili and the S User Account, a summary of their Bonus purchases (total monthly Bonus purchases, total monthly Bonus purchases by chain/chain group, the Bonus percentage and Bonus paid), in addition to the Bonus purchases made by all members of the co-op member household at the level of total amounts on the receipt. In addition to the summary information, a member of the co-op member household can only view, in their register information and Bonus purchase information on S-mobiili and the S User Account, their purchases at the level of total amounts on the receipt. More detailed product-level purchase information can only be viewed for purchases made using the personal S-Etukortti card or as an identified member of a co-op member household. On S-mobiili and the S User Account, members of co-op member households are shown a summary of the discounts applied to co-op membership household. More information about the processing of personal data in S Group’s co-op and customer register and the data subject’s (customer) rights is available at https://tietosuoja.s-ryhma.fi/asiakkaana/asiakasomistajuus-ja-henkilotietojen-kasittely/. The data content of the register is presented in more detail in the privacy policy. The privacy policy is available at https://www.s-kanava.fi/asiakasomistajuus/asiakasomistaja-ja-asiakasrekisteri/.  

4.2                    Access to personal data 

The customer can access their own personal data in S Group’s co-op member and customer register as follows: 

• The S User Account can be used to check most of the data stored in the register. 

• A register extract can be ordered using an online form, which can also be used to order the customer's own personal data from several S Group customer registers. 

• The customer can also send an email to the data controller at tietosuoja.asiakkuus@sok.fi and request access to their data in S Group’s co-op member and customer register. 

4.3                    Changes of address 

Changes to names and addresses of customers belonging to a co-op member household are updated to S Group’s co-op member and customer register from the population information system. If the customer has filed an official notice of change of address with the population information system and does not have a valid prohibition on access to their personal data in the population information system, the customer does not need to notify their cooperative society of the change of address. Current address information can be checked on the S User Account. 

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A co-op member is an individual member of the S Group’s co-op membership system. 

A co-op member household consists of persons whose purchases accumulated joint Bonus for the household. A co-op member household forms around the main member. The main member must be a co-op member. Bonus and the payment method benefit are paid to the main member of the co-op member household.  Changes can be made to the co-op member household if necessary (add and remove persons). Each person who joins the co-op member household enters into an agreement to join S Group’s co-op membership system. For a minor, the agreement is signed on their behalf by their guardian. 

The S-Etukortti card is a sign of the S Group’s co-op membership or membership of a co-op member household and the key to co-op member benefits. Each member of the co-op member household is issued with a personal S-Etukortti card under their own name. The right to an S-Etukortti card and co-op member benefits ends when a person’s membership in a co-op member household ends. For more information about the various S-Etukortti card options, please visit https://www.s-kanava.fi/en/bonus-equals-cash/s-etukortti-cards/  

Bonus is a purchase reward that the co-op member receives at S Group’s and its partners’ Bonus outlets based on the total monthly purchases made by their co-op member household. 

The payment method benefit is a co-op member benefit of 0.5% that is given on the total amount of purchases paid with S-Etukortti Visa card in S Group’s outlets in Finland, provided that the outlets are covered by the payment method benefit. 

S-mobiili is a mobile application for members of co-op member households that includes co-op member services such as benefits, Bonus information and electronic receipts, as well as S-Bank’s mobile banking. The S-Etukortti card on S-mobiili and the S-Etukortti barcode can also be used to accumulate Bonus and take advantage of other co-op members benefits based on authentication. S-Etukortti card with NFC functionality is available to Android phone users. The barcode is available to all users of S-mobiili. iPhone users can also add their S-Etukortti card from S-mobiili to Apple Wallet. 

More information