 But the firm's handling of the case has been a lesson in how not to manage a crisis".In 2016 the Co-operative Group decided that it would exercise its option to quit the branch network joint venture.Thomas Cook Group announced it would buy out the stakes in The Co-operative Travel owned by The Co-operative Group and Central England Co-operative, taking full control of the retail network and re-branding the high street travel stores that had operated under the Co-operative brand gradually during 2017–18.