This story has been updated since it was originally posted on 1/9/2023 to include more items
While Costco is often acclaimed by shoppers for its low prices and its ability to sell household items in bulk, some customers are taking to social media, as Eat This, Not That! reports, to express their disappointment with the chain’s alleged price increases.
“In our view, people do notice those price differences,” Costco’s Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti acknowledged during an investor call last month.
Inflation is seemingly affecting everything we buy, and unfortunately, Costco items are no exception. In a recent Reddit thread, customers have noted that the following common grocery items seem to be more expensive at Costco than those found other supermarkets; butter, eggs, milk, bacon and chicken. Additionally, some shoppers have noticed an increase in the price of member services, such as home repairs.
Here’s what we know:
Costco’s 6 Most ‘Overpriced’ Grocery Items, According To Customers On Reddit
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1. Butter
Reddit users noted that the price of Costco's Kirkland-brand butter, (which the club often sells in 2-pound bundles) seems pricier than ever. One claimed that the cost recently went up from $8 to $14.99. "Yeah, I about cried in the store a couple of days ago over the price of butter," another wrote. As Eat This, Not That! reports, in Brooklyn, N.Y., this week, the Kirkland organic butter "cost $11.99, or about $5.99 per pound (only the organic kind was available)." Meanwhile, when compared to the Brooklyn location of Wegmans, that store is selling its "basic sticks of butter for about two bucks cheaper: $3.99 per pound," the outlet added. The publication also showed that Wegmans' organic variety is priced the same as Costco's. "The cheapest butters at nearby Aldi, Walmart, and Whole Foods locations cost $4.39, $4.48, and $6.18 per pound, respectively," the site pointed out.
2. Eggs
On Reddit, regarding eggs, one customer wrote, "What's crazy is my Costco's milk and eggs are more expensive than Walmarts." Someone else chimed in, adding, "I haven't seen eggs in the two stores near me since Thanksgiving." The supply looked thin this week at Costco in Brooklyn, too, as Eat This, Not That documented, with customers "limited to purchasing only two packages of five dozen eggs at a time." Each package, the site reported, cost $14.69, which is $2.94 per dozen. "It's actually difficult to find cheaper eggs than these in the NYC area at the moment," the publication wrote, as "Whole Foods came closest, offering a dozen 365-brand large brown eggs for $3.39." Nearby Aldi and Walmart locations charge "$4.35 and $4.56 per dozen for their most basic varieties," according to the outlet, and "the average retail price for eggs nationwide is now $3.59 per dozen." This, as seen in the most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) survey, is an increase of 109% since last year.
3. Milk
While Costco's Kirkland-brand milk is beloved by fans, many are still complaining that its price has seemed to have gone up, too. "Their super milk seems to last forever," one Reddit commenter wrote, "but it costs much more than my local grocer." A gallon jug cost "$4.15 at Costco in Brooklyn this week," according to Eat This, Not That!, and among the stores in their survey, only "Wegmans and Aldi offered a cheaper jug at $3.99 and $4.09 respectively, while the closest Walmart location charged $4.26." The average retail price, as noted by CPI, "now stands at $4.22 per gallon, up 15% since last year."
4. Bacon
As one Redditor claimed, "four-pound packs of Costco's Kirkland Signature Sliced Bacon" went up in pricing, up to $21.99 last year, before then dropping to $16.99. That's the same price that Eat This, Not That apparently found in Brooklyn last week. For some critical Redditors, however, this is still too pricey. "I can find it on sale much cheaper," one wrote. The outlet, however, could not. "At $4.25 per pound, the Kirkland slices are far and away more affordable than the national average—almost $3 less, in fact," the publication reported. They added, "Only the Walmart in Bayonne, N.J., could top our local Costco (and just by a penny) among the surveyed stores in our area. Aldi, meanwhile, charged $5.15 per pound."
5. Chicken
Costco's low-priced rotisserie variety seems to still remain at $4.99, thankfully, but some customers are highly critical of Costco's regular uncooked chicken prices. "Their prices for chicken thighs and drumsticks are now (and have been for a few months) higher than the grocery store," one commenter wrote. Eat This, Not That! found bulk packs of Kirkland-brand boneless skinless thighs for "$2.99 per pound at Costco in Brooklyn," and a similar family pack cost "a little less at the nearest Walmart: $2.86 per pound." Aldi and Wegmans, the publication noted, charged more at $3.29 per pound. As for Whole Foods, this was $5.49 per pound.
6. Member services
One Costco member took to Reddit to air their grievances about the rising cost of member services, particularly when it comes to home repairs. "Needed gutters for the rear of my home," they wrote. "Got 3 estimates, Costco estimate with 25% discount was $5900. Local gutter pro was $3500 and the other somewhere in the middle. WTF is going on?"
"I got a high estimate for some A/C services last month," someone chimed in. "They pencil-whipped it to look better, but most of the 'better' was the various Costco cash back things AFTER I pay the full rate."
"I was quoted $12k for blinds…no thank you," another echoed.
With rising membership prices, it's fair that people are upset. However, some commenters reminded people that Costco is just the "middle man" in these situations, so it makes sense that contacting local vendors directly would save money.
