It was typical of how Costco can sometimes be overlooked in the UK, but while there may not be much media focus on the business, it has made a big impact.

From humble beginnings in Seattle in 1976 – like that other famous retailer Amazon – by 2019 Costco Wholesale had grown into a $150bn-turnover global business with margins of 11% and profits of $3.7bn. It is the third-largest retailer in the world with 783 warehouses in 12 countries.

In the UK, Costco launched in 1993 and it now boasts 29 warehouses here that generated turnover of over £2.6bn in 2018 and online revenue of £75m – up from £12.8m in 2013.