Should These 3 Costco Scandals Make You Rethink Your Membership?

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Costco has had its share of controversies this year. Read on to see if a membership still makes sense. 

Many retailers have faced their share of challenges in recent months due to inflation, and Costco is one of them. Like its competitors, Costco has been forced to spend more to procure inventory.

But that’s not the only challenge Costco has grappled with since the start of 2023. There were a few Costco scandals that got their share of media attention. The question is, should they make you reconsider your Costco membership?

1. Recalled strawberries

Food recalls aren’t all that uncommon. And often, when an item is recalled, it’s not the fault of the store selling it. But earlier this year, a recall was placed on frozen strawberries sold at not just Costco, but also at Trader Joe’s and Aldi, due to a link with hepatitis A cases.

Of course, Costco stepped up and refunded customers in full, so they weren’t out any money. But still, the incident didn’t exactly paint Costco in the best light.

2. Chemical-tasting chicken

There’s a reason why so many Costco customers routinely buy the chain’s rotisserie chicken. It’s an easy way to feed a family without racking up a giant credit card tab.

But earlier this year, customers in different markets reported that Costco’s rotisserie chicken had started to take on a chemical taste. And clearly, that’s not what you want your chicken to taste like — even if it is dirt cheap.

3. An overpriced food court sandwich

This past winter, Costco introduced a new roast beef sandwich to its food court lineup, which at first seemed like a welcome addition. But many consumers were taken aback by the sandwich’s $9.99 price point. Given that Costco’s food court is supposed to be a place to score lunch on the cheap, that’s understandable — especially when you compare the cost of a roast beef sandwich to the classic $1.50 hot dog and soda combo.

Your Costco membership is probably still worth the money

You may have been inconvenienced by the strawberry recall, put off by chemical-tasting chicken, or annoyed at the surprisingly high cost of Costco’s new roast beef sandwich. But are any of these incidents reason enough to cancel your Costco membership? Probably not.

Shopping at Costco regularly can result in a world of savings, especially if you have a larger family to feed. So if you’re still spending less on groceries and household essentials thanks to your Costco membership, then you shouldn’t cancel it because of the aforementioned issues — especially if they didn’t happen to impact you personally.

Now, a good reason to cancel your Costco membership is if you’re not getting much use out of it or you’re consistently unhappy with the store’s selection and quality of goods. And if you live in a small home and are constantly struggling to store your bulk purchases, that, too, is a good reason to reconsider your Costco membership.

But remember, every retailer is apt to experience its share of incidents that get a lot of media attention. Costco happened to have several this year, but that doesn’t make a membership a waste of money by any means.

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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.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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