Why It's So Much Harder To Get A Costco Membership In The UK

As of November 2023, Cotsco has 871 stores in operation around the world. Fortunately, if you're traveling abroad, your American Costco membership card will get you into any of its stores. But if you're living in the United Kingdom, it may be a little harder to obtain a membership in the first place.

There are 29 Costco locations across the United Kingdom: 25 in England, three in Scotland, and one in Wales. According to the Costco U.K. website, memberships to those stores are only available to certain groups of people. Since the store is classified as a wholesaler, this complies with the U.K.'s wholesale store laws. These dictate that wholesale stores are only accessible to those working for select business sectors.

While this requirement is pretty restrictive, certain groups of people are eligible to apply for the memberships. And once you're approved, you can access all the benefits of a Costco membership. So, if you're working in the U.K., it may be worth checking if you qualify — or if your employer is on the pre-approved list.

While Costco may cater more to businesses than consumers in the U.K., employees in certain professions can still get individual memberships. According to the Costco U.K. website, anyone who currently works for or has retired from the government is eligible to apply for a membership. This includes local government, fire and rescue services, the post office, police, armed forces, teachers, and civil service employees.

Healthcare professionals are also eligible for memberships. Doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacists, and other medical-health service employees fit the criteria. Financial service providers, like accountants, bank employees, and insurance providers can apply. Even those qualified in any of these professions may be considered. Additionally, some businesses have been pre-approved for membership applications. Anyone working for one of those companies needs to provide proof of employment and a photo ID when applying.

Fortunately, there is a loophole to gain access, even if you don't fit one of these categories. If you are friends with or related to someone who does already have a Costco membership, they may be able to bring you into the store as a guest. Previously, similar restrictions applied to Costco locations in the United States.

When the original Costco location opened in an airplane hangar in 1976, the store was intended to compete with other restaurant supply stores. Only small business owners could acquire a membership to shop at the store — which was then named Price Club instead of Costco.

Eventually, though, those restrictions were removed, and memberships were opened up to a wider range of people. In 1983, Costco Wholesale opened in Seattle, and memberships only cost $25. Today, the wholesale store is open to anyone who purchases one of the store's memberships. And while today's $60 fee may seem like a steep jump from that initial $25 price point, the membership price has stayed about the same when you take inflation into account.

While it may be a little easier to obtain a Costco membership in the United States, stores across the pond have some exclusive food court items not found in the U.S. Shoppers in the United Kingdom can dine on jacket potatoes and cottage pies, then finish off with a sweet scoop of gelato or sorbet.