Ranked in 7 industries
This company is listed under more than one industry, so we show its position in each rather than picking one.
| Reporting Period | Filing Date | Average Time to Pay (days) | Paid within 30 days | Paid 31-60 days | Paid after 60 days | Not Paid within Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Sept 2025 - 15 Feb 2026 | 01 Jun 2026 | 35 | 43% | 55% | 2% | 6% |
| 26 Feb 2025 - 31 Aug 2025 | 20 Oct 2025 | 35 | 42% | 56% | 2% | 4% |
| 02 Sept 2024 - 25 Feb 2025 | 11 Apr 2025 | 33 | 48% | 50% | 2% | 6% |
| 19 Feb 2024 - 01 Sept 2024 | 14 Oct 2024 | 34 | 44% | 54% | 2% | 4% |
| 03 Sept 2023 - 18 Feb 2024 | 28 Mar 2024 | 32 | 47% | 52% | 1% | 4% |
| 02 Mar 2023 - 02 Sept 2023 | 05 Oct 2023 | 35 | 50% | 48% | 1% | 3% |
| 30 Aug 2022 - 01 Mar 2023 | 24 Mar 2023 | 35 | 42% | 57% | 1% | 4% |
| 02 Mar 2022 - 29 Aug 2022 | 30 Sept 2022 | 34 | 44% | 54% | 2% | 5% |
| 30 Aug 2021 - 02 Mar 2022 | 25 Mar 2022 | 34 | 43% | 55% | 2% | 3% |
| 02 Mar 2021 - 29 Aug 2021 | 29 Sept 2021 | 34 | 44% | 55% | 1% | 3% |
| 31 Aug 2020 - 01 Mar 2021 | 26 Mar 2021 | 34 | 43% | 55% | 2% | 5% |
| 03 Mar 2020 - 30 Aug 2020 | 28 Sept 2020 | 32 | 48% | 50% | 1% | 4% |
| 03 Sept 2019 - 02 Mar 2020 | 30 Mar 2020 | 35 | 40% | 58% | 2% | 4% |
| 03 Mar 2019 - 02 Sept 2019 | 24 Sept 2019 | 34 | 44% | 54% | 2% | 5% |
| 03 Sept 2018 - 02 Mar 2019 | 22 Mar 2019 | 31 | 49% | 49% | 2% | 6% |
This information is as reported by the business, and responses are in their own words.
Standard payment terms
Costco Wholesale UK Limited negotiates payment terms individually with suppliers. Terms can be either a set number of days from receipt of goods or date of invoice, or end of month plus a set number of days after receipt of goods or date of invoice. Typical payment terms are net 30 days or end of month plus 30 days. The business does not pay for merchandise before receipt of goods. Services are not normally paid for until the work has been performed, although where a service is to be provided over a period of time staged payments may be made. Where payments are due on a weekend or a public holiday funds are sent to arrive in a supplier’s bank account on the next working day. Any payments due on a weekend or a public holiday that were settled on the next working day have been treated as on time payments for the purposes of this report. If a supplier owes Costco Wholesale UK Limited more than Costco Wholesale UK Limited owes to that supplier then we offset the two amounts and do not settle outstanding invoices. This is part of our vendor agreement and is normal business practice to protect the amounts that we are owed. Where we fully offset a supplier’s invoice against an amount owed to Costco Wholesale UK Limited by that supplier we treat the invoice as being settled.
Were there any changes to the standard payment terms in the reporting period?
No information available
Any other information about payment terms
No additional information
Maximum contractual payment period agreed
120
Costco Wholesale UK Ltd pays for the actual goods received at the price agreed on the purchase order. If there is a discrepancy in the quantity received or the price stated on a supplier’s invoice then Costco will only dispute the difference and not the entire invoiced amount. In this situation Costco will pay for the goods received and the supplier can either raise a credit note or submit a claim for the difference. Payment processing is dealt with by the Expense Accounts Payable and Merchandise Accounts Payable teams. Any supplier payment queries that may arise are dealt with by the appropriate Accounts Payable team. In the event that the Accounts Payable team are unable to resolve the matter then any queries should be discussed between the supplier and the area of the business that ordered the services or goods in question.
Has this business signed up to a code of conduct or standards on payment practices?
For example, signatories to The Prompt Payment Code must commit to paying 95% of their invoices within 60 days.
❌
Does this business offer e-invoicing in relation to qualifying contracts?
This is where suppliers can electronically submit and track invoices. It's not just allowing suppliers to email them an invoice.
❌
Does this business offer supply chain finance?
This is where a supplier who has submitted an invoice can be paid by a third-party finance provider earlier than the agreed payment date. The business would then pay the finance provider the invoiced sum.
❌
Under its payment practices and policies, can this business deduct sums from payments under qualifying contracts as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
❌
During the reporting period, did the business deduct sums from payments as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
No information available
Costco Wholesale UK Limited is a private limited company incorporated in 1991 and registered in Watford, Hertfordshire. Companies House records list its nature of business as non-specialised wholesale trade, and the company has previously traded under the names Costco UK Limited, Pricecostco Europe (UK) Limited and Costco Europe (U.K.) Ltd. It operates as part of the wider Costco group, which sells a broad range of goods including food, electronics, clothing, furniture and household items through a membership warehouse model. The company remains active, with its latest accounts made up to 31 August 2025 and a confirmation statement dated 4 March 2026.
Generated from the company's website and Companies House records. Sources: find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk · companieshousedata.co.uk