Costco has introduced a new perk for its Executive Members in the UK, granting them exclusive early shopping hours. Starting today, Executive Members can enter stores from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays, while on Saturdays the window is reduced to 30 minutes, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Non-Executive Members will be denied entry before 10 a.m. on weekdays and before 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays.
The policy has sparked controversy among some Costco members, but the company defended the move, stating: 'Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their commitment to Costco.' The exclusive shopping hour follows a grace period that has now ended.
Costco offers several membership tiers: the Gold Star at £65, the Executive at £130, and a Business Membership at £65 annually. The Business tier is exempt from the early shopping benefit. Earlier this summer, Costco also introduced a £10 monthly credit for Executive members.
This change comes amid other recent adjustments, including a switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola products in its food courts, which was finalized in August. The company previously served Coca-Cola before switching to Pepsi in 2013 to maintain the price of its $1.50 hot dog combo.
