4 Products to Stop Buying at Costco in 2023

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You may want to take these off your Costco shopping list. 

The great thing about shopping at Costco is that you can find a wide range of products at affordable prices, from produce to dairy items to paper goods to apparel. In fact, you’ll often end up with a lower credit card tab at Costco than you will at other stores, even when they have sales going on.

But Costco doesn’t always have the lowest prices available. And even when it does, there are certain items the average consumer likely won’t need to buy in bulk. With that in mind, here are a few products to stop buying at Costco this year.

1. Baking supplies

If you’re someone who likes to bake, you may be in the habit of buying things like flour in bulk. But even if you seal your flour in airtight containers (and you’ll need a number of them to accommodate a Costco-sized sack), over time, it can go bad on you.

Now if you’re the type who genuinely bakes cookies by the dozen on a biweekly basis, then buying baking supplies at Costco might work out for you. But if you’re the type who makes a cake every six to eight weeks for special occasions, you may want to look out for sales at your regular supermarket and stop buying baking supplies in mass quantities.

2. Condiments

You might use condiments on a regular basis. But that doesn’t mean you’ll snag the best deals on them at Costco. Supermarkets often discount condiments during the summer and at different times of the year, at which point your cost per ounce might be significantly lower.

And also, condiments, by nature, tend to sit out a lot. How often do you leave a bottle of ketchup out on the table while you and your family are eating? That’s the sort of thing you don’t want to do with a large-sized bottle. So in this case, smaller quantities may be a much better call.

3. Toys

Costco commonly offers great deals on toys. But in many cases, you’ll find even deeper discounts on sites like Amazon, or at big-box retailers like Walmart and Target.

If you happen to stumble across a great toy deal in the course of your Costco shopping, by all means, scoop it up. But you probably don’t want to make special trips to Costco for the express purpose of loading your cart with toy purchases.

4. Canned goods

You can find a host of canned goods at Costco, from vegetables to tuna fish. But you may not want to scoop them up.

Like condiments, it’s common for supermarkets to offer sizable discounts on canned goods throughout the year. So waiting for those sales to hit could save you more money than a Costco stock-up.

Costco can be a great source for groceries, household supplies, and even electronics and gifts. But these four items are things you should look to buy in smaller quantities or at other stores. So if they normally have a place on your Costco shopping list, it may be time to remove them.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon.com and Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com, Costco Wholesale, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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