Costco receipt confusion! VAT not added

[SugarCookieMonster]

I upgraded to an executive membership a few months ago (may be relevant?!). Since then I’ve noticed that I’m being charged the pre-VAT price on some items.

I noticed it on something I bought that was marked up as £70ish but £80ish with VAT . When I got in the car and checked the receipt I noticed it had gone through the till as the cheaper price.

Same thing has happened again today. Doesn’t happen with everything, and seems to be no rhyme or reason.

Only things I can think of are:

-They’ve been discounted but not showing on the pricing labels or showing as a discount on the receipt

-Till error

-We’ll be charged VAT on them at the end of the year

-Something to do with the upgraded card, a benefit of some kind

If anyone else understands the pricing system or can point out the obvious thing I’ve missed I’d be grateful!

Was it food?

The vat gets added at the end of the receipt

They may have added VAT at the bottom. So lists everything you bought before VAT, subtotals it, and then adds a wedge of money for VAT before then totalling the invoice (which was what you paid).?

@bellsbuss you are a genius!

In case anyone else is as dense as me: The total including VAT amount is at the bottom of the individual items list. Then further underneath there’s a total excluding VAT with the VAT amount added separately under that.

So it puts the pre-VAT amount on the individual item breakdown but the VAT gets added to the total!

Thank you so much this was seriously confusing me as I knew there had to be an explanation I couldn’t see! 🤦‍♀️

Anything with a Z next to the line is VAT exempt too

Probably zero rated, it would be rare to be exempt from CostCo, but both zero rated and exempt have the effect on the invoice of no VAT being charged.

Sorry to be teccy!