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3 Things You Won’t See in Costco Anymore

As the COVID-19 pandemic eases in the U.S., some stores are starting to ease restrictions—and Costco is no exception. But there are some things that won't be back.

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Mexico's growing middle-class
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A new era at Costco

A lot of things have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Once the pandemic took over, most stores implemented new shopping guidelines to keep their workers and customers safe—and Costco was no exception. This, of course, made your usual Costco trip look different than it did before.

While things have changed, and tweaks have been made based off government and state guidelines, old shopping experiences are coming back little by little. With vaccine rollouts and more individuals becoming fully vaccinated, a return to life as we once knew it is looking promising. Restrictions are easing and are constantly evolving, so it’s important to be aware of these ongoing changes. In response to the increased vaccination rate, some stores (based on state regulations) have begun changing as well and are bringing back a sense of normalcy—for instance, no mask requirement for vaccinated members, and the return of sample stations! For Costco members wondering how different shopping in-store might look right now, here are the three things you won’t see in Costco anymore.

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Hundreds Gather As Costco Opens In Perth As Concerns Over Coronavirus Grow
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Bulk items

Costco might be associated with shopping in bulk, but buying a month’s supply of a particular item in one go seems to be a thing of the past. Costco announced in a statement that there will be restrictions on the amount of items people can buy from the stores. “Costco has implemented limits on certain items to help ensure more members are able to purchase merchandise they want and need. Our buyers and suppliers are working hard to provide essential, high demand merchandise as well as everyday favorites,” read the statement.

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Costco Begins Selling Caskets
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Having your groceries bagged

There’s no denying that using reusable grocery bags helps the environment. However, you might have to bag your groceries yourself if you want to use them in Costco. Costco is still allowing customers to bring their reusable bags, but to do so, they will have to be bagging their own groceries. Follow these tips for avoiding germs while grocery shopping.

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Stores feel the rush of shoppers stocking up in the midst of a pandemic
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Returns on specific items

Bought too much rice lately? You might want to start looking at new recipes because you won’t be able to return certain items to Costco. Due to the new health and safety guidelines of Costco, customers are no longer to make returns on certain items. This means that if you’re shopping for toilet paper, bottled water, sanitizing wipes, paper towels, rice, or disinfecting spray, you’ll want to double-check that you’re not buying more than you need.

Sources:

  • Costco: “Updates and Coronavirus Response”