Certain Costco Stores Are Not Allowing Returns on High-Demand Items like Rice and Toilet Paper

Panic buying has become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic currently facing the whole world. However, some retailers are starting to act to protect buyers who can’t afford to buy in bulk.

Costco is starting to do something about customers who are hoarding much-needed supplies during the coronavirus outbreak. Signs have been spotted at their various locations stating that returns wouldn’t be accepted on certain high-demand items.

Items like toilet paper, bottled water, and sanitizing wipes, rice, and LYSOL, were listed as the ones under the new rule. These are some of the goods that people have been panic buying from stores across the country.

Costco offers no returns on items

Some Instagram accounts that aren’t affiliated with Costco have put up photos of the new signage. At this point in time, it isn’t clear if the new regulation has been rolled out to all Costco stores or only a certain number of them.

Limiting customer purchases

Costco isn’t the only store that is trying to curb the panic buying rage. H-E-B and Wegmans have opted to limit customer purchases of in-demand items to try and stop hoarding.

People queuing outside stores

Costco also passed a similar policy at some of its stores, but it only started enforcing the rule this week. Some Costco shoppers might have encountered lines outside the stores lately.

High demand items sold out

The reason for this is because stores are limiting the number of shoppers allowed inside. Store managers have shared how supplies in high demand are often sold out by midday, despite having crowd control in place.

Costco practicing social distancing

On March 17, 2020, Craig Jelinek, the president and CEO of Costco Wholesale, announced that the retailer was taking the necessary steps to curb this issue. He said that they were trying to “control the number of members in our warehouses and asked that members and employees practice social distancing.”

We at AmoMama do our best to give you the most updated news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, but the situation is constantly changing. We encourage readers to refer to the online updates from CDC, WHO, or Local Health Departments to stay updated. Take care!