One of the things that sets Costco apart from other retailers is its staunch commitment to quality.
In fact, there’s a reason Costco limits its inventory to roughly 4,000 SKUs (stock keeping units), while its competitors often stock tens of thousands of products at a given time.
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Costco has very high standards for quality control. And the warehouse club giant won’t sell an item it doesn’t stand behind in terms of value or price.
Related: Costco makes sneaky food pricing change, angers members
Costco also wants members to feel confident in the purchases they make. To this end, the company maintains one of the most reasonable return policies in the retail industry.
With very few exceptions, Costco members can return any item to the store at any time for a full refund. Costco will even take back partially eaten food products that don’t meet members’ expectations.
Costco product has members disgusted.
Image source: Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images
Some Costco products fall short
Costco fans are often quick to talk up the store’s delicious food offerings, particularly in the context of the Kirkland brand.
Kirkland bakery products get especially glowing reviews from customers. From the flaky, buttery croissants to the tasty cakes and cookies, Costco’s bakery tends to draw in members and offer outstanding value.
Related: Costco adds new bakery item and drops another
But not every Costco product is met with fanfare.
Years back, members were quick to point out that Costco’s frozen Kirkland Signature Chicken Bakes were a lackluster version of the food court favorite. And some feel that Costco toilet paper shreds easily and isn’t worth the money.
Also, while Costco’s bakery muffins have long been a member favorite, the store recently made a change from jumbo muffins to smaller ones. Costco also overhauled its muffin flavors, and some fans insist that the new offerings fall short in terms of taste.
Costco members are angry over chicken quality issues
Budget-conscious consumers often come to Costco to stock up on essential grocery items. And buying chicken from Costco can be a huge money-saver. But recently, Costco has been called out over the quality of its chicken.
Members took to Reddit to complain about Costco’s chicken breasts in particular. And the criticism was pretty harsh.
“After 20+ years of chicken breasts being a staple in my diet, Costco’s woody breasts have ruined chicken for me,” said one Redditor. “It’s almost a phobia now.”
Related: Costco raises more membership fees
Another Reddit user wrote, “I love just about everything at Costco, especially raw beef products. But I will never buy raw chicken. Multiple bad experiences with both chicken breasts and thighs.”
And a third Redditor wrote, “Woody chicken so disgusted me that I’ve stopped eating chicken of any kind. Gag.”
All told, Costco’s chicken breasts are being described as stringy, rubbery, and downright inedible. And these complaints stem from members in more than 20 states.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Costco has faced backlash over its chicken.
In recent years, customers have complained extensively about the store’s famous rotisserie chicken — one of Costco’s most well-known bargains.
While the rotisserie chicken’s $4.99 price point can’t be beat, members were quick to point out that it started to adopt a chemical taste back in 2023. Members also weren’t thrilled when Costco made the switch from packaging its rotisserie chicken in bags instead of plastic cases.
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The good news in all of this, though, is that Costco is typically very receptive to customers’ feedback. So members can bet that the company will look into the issue and aim to resolve it.
In the meantime, members who purchased “disgusting” chicken from Costco should not hesitate to bring it back. Costco makes it very clear that members are entitled to a full refund on any product that does meet their standards for quality.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.
