Michigan § 445.53 - Use of terms “cooperative,”“co-op,” or variation thereof.

Unfair, unconscionable, or deceptive methods, acts or practices with respect to the use of the terms cooperative, co-op, or any variation thereof in the conduct of trade or commerce are unlawful and are defined as follows:

Using the terms "cooperative", "co-op", or any variation thereof in one's name when not authorized to make use of those terms by section 1123 of Act No. 162 of the Public Acts of 1982, being section 450.3123 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or by section 99 of Act No. 327 of the Public Acts of 1931, being section 450.99 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or representing oneself to be, or causing oneself to be represented as being, a cooperative when one is not a person described in section 1123 of Act No. 162 of the Public Acts of 1982.

In the case of a cooperative, representing or causing others to represent, in connection with offering goods, services, or facilities to consumers, that the cooperative makes membership available to consumers when the cooperative does not make membership available to consumers. Notwithstanding section 1123 of Act No. 162 of the Public Acts of 1982, being section 450.3123 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, use of the term "cooperative", "co-op", or any variation thereof in one's name in communications with consumers may be a violation of this section unless the use of those terms indicates the type of person to whom membership is available. This subdivision shall not prohibit the continued use of the terms "cooperative", "co-op", or any variation thereof by a corporation authorized to use those terms either by section 1123 of Act No. 162 of the Public Acts of 1982 or by section 99 of Act No. 327 of the Public Acts of 1931, if the corporation was in existence and used 1 or more of those terms in its name or to represent itself before the effective date of this act, but such use shall not continue after January 1, 1990.