A lot of things have changed in the past few months. With new social distancing guidelines, most stores implemented new shopping guidelines to keep their workers and customers safe—and Costco is no exception. This, of course, makes your usual Costco trip look different than it did before. For those of you wondering how different shopping at Costco might look, here are the 6 things you won’t see in Costco anymore. Make sure you also check out the new rules for shopping at Target, Walmart and more.
Free samples
Free samples are one of the best parts of shopping at Costco. However, it looks like it might be a while until you get to enjoy bite-sized food items while you do your shopping again. Halting the offering of free samples was one of the first modifications Costco made to its stores, and these items have not been seen since March. But worry not, as according to a statement Costco CFO Richard Galanti made on Costco’s third-quarter conference call, there are plans to return the samples to stores. “I can’t tell you anymore, but…needless to say, it’s not going to be where you go and just pick up an open sample with your fingers. But sampling — food and nonfood items — are popular,” said Galanti. Make sure you check out these other ways to avoid germs when grocery shopping.
Meat in bulk
Costco might be associated with shopping in bulk, but buying a month’s supply of meat in one go seems to be a thing of the past. Due to meat shortages caused by the pandemic, Costco announced in a statement that there will be restrictions on the amount of beef, pork or poultry 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. If you’d rather have your groceries delivered, here are stores that have grocery delivery and pickup options.
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. Did you know that Costco also offers prescription delivery?
Shopping without masks
Face masks have become a common part of our lives since March, so it’s no surprise that it’s a common part of shopping at Costco, too. Since May 4, all customers shopping at Costco have been required to wear a face mask or face covering during the time they spend in the store. “We know some members may find this inconvenient or objectionable, but under the circumstances, we believe the added safety is worth any inconvenience. This is not simply a matter of personal choice; a face-covering protects not just the wearer, but others too,” Craig Jelinek, president and CEO of Costco Wholesale, said about the new rule in a statement. Here is how to disinfect your DIY face mask.
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 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. Here’s how to find out when hard-to-find items will be in stock.
Shopping in groups
Most stores have been trying to limit the number of customers they allow in the store, and Costco is no exception. To ensure the safety of Costco workers and customers, only two people per membership card are allowed to enter the store, according to 44News. Next, check out the ways dining will likely change after the lockdown.
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Deniz Sahinturk