Of course, not every new development at Costco was met with unanimous applause.
Costco made a number ofmajor changesin recent months, including a long-anticipatedincrease in annual membership fees.
It also tinkered with some of its most deeply cherished products.
Photo: Marisa DiPaolo. Design: Joe Heroun / Eat This, Not That!
Those types of decisions are bound to upset at least a few longstanding customers.
In March, Costco started to phase out its traditional plastic clamshell containers.
While some members applauded the eco-friendly effort, others complained that the new bags were leaky and less convenient.
Photo: Costco
Some shoppers even suggested they would be willing to pay more if Costco reverted to the old packaging.
Previously, customers only scanned their cards at checkout.
TheNew York Timesreported that the process of manually stocking and restocking books became too labor-intensive compared to other merchandise.
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The decision to limit sales nonetheless frustrated the retailer’s more bookish members, prompting threats to shop elsewhere.
“Their book selection is always disappointing and overpriced,“one critic wroteon Reddit.
“If they’re not gonna make it worth it I won’t miss it.”
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So, shoppers were understandably aghast at the suddenreduction in muffin sizeat certain locations.
Historically, Costco’s muffins have been massive, weighing nearly six ounces each.
The newer, smaller muffins are closer to four ounces.
Costco
They come in packs of eight, priced at $6.99 each.
One calculating shopper estimated the new muffins are"58% more expensive.”
All of the new sandwiches have been served coldnot warmed up like the old sandwich that everyone loved.
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That criticism only intensified in 2024.
Some members say they’ve sworn off the club’s produce department altogether.
Costco has not publicly addressed these concerns.
Chris Shott/Eat This, Not That!
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