Costco Prohibits Return of Toilet Paper, Paper Towels & Wipes
Costco is taking steps to keep more essential items in stock for its members.
The recent rise in consumers wanting to stock up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer etc has made it nearly impossible for retailers to keep essential items like these in stock.
As a result, it has become more and more difficult to find stores that carry certain paper goods, cleaning products, bottled water, and non-perishable food items.
Retailers like Costco are taking steps to limit this behavior so that more shoppers are able to get what they need. Craig Jelinek, Costco’s President and CEO, said in a statement:
Limits have been implemented on certain items to help ensure more members are able to access the merchandise they want and need. Our buyers and suppliers are working to ensure in-demand merchandise as well as everyday favorites are available in our warehouses.
Costco has also enacted no-return policies on the following high-demand items:
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Sanitizing wipes
- Water
- Rice
- Lysol
And Costco is not alone as retailers like Albertsons, Kroger, and Target have already stopped taking returns altogether due to health and safety concerns.
Not a member? Consider snagging a Costco membership today!
Rice? Why rice?
Mostly Asians like myself buy the big bagged rice because we own a rice cooker and eat it almost everyday.
Are you buying more than normal? If you already eat it daily?
No, I buy 20 lbs every month. We are a family of 3 and even my Maltese eats it mixed with dog food. No need for more than that a month. Btw if anyone wants a flavor mix use coconut water or milk instead of regular water. Tasty. 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of coco milk and or water, salt and olive oil.
Thank you for the receipe suggestion. It’s appreciated.
Great idea. I’ll be trying next time I cook rice. Thank you !
We have a rice cooker and are not buying more than normal. We always have a 50 pound bag in our house because my husband grew up eating it at every meal and we eat it a lot.
Latina here! Every meal has to have rice… lol and that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
South African here and our suppers usually includes rice too.
People were hoarding it too
As long as they pay for the items like you & me, who cares it they’re hoarding it. Better to be prepared then wait until the last minute & get into fights, because you can’t find what you’re looking for.
It is a problem to hoard because then sensitive population cannot find the items they need! Plus most goods are produced in the USA so why worry about a shortage and buy huge amounts.
Pandemic or not, consumables like food and beverage items cannot be resold by retailers. Those items have to get tossed if they are returned, they cannot go back on the shelf. For that reason, even when not considering our current state of affairs, I will always do what I can to use up, prepare and freeze or give away rather than try to return.
If you have an abundance of a food item because you might have over bought and don’t want it, please donate it.
Useless policy. who cares? who returning this stuff anyways. nobody
YES THEY ARE .. THEY ARE buying multiples OF EVERYTHING.. HOARDING IT.i know someone who could not find diapers! . I AM GLAD THEY ARE NOT ALLOWING RETURNS
People who bought enough toilet paper for 50 years, should have to keep it.
Just like the guy from Tennessee who went to all the stores in town buying all the hand sanitizer when the virus had just started. Now that it’s out of control everywhere, nobody could find hand sanitizer to purchase. This guy put it on Amazon to sell each bottle at a crazy price. Amazon found out, took all his stuff off, & he was forced to keep it all. He eventually said he’d donate it to a church after all the backlash.
If you buy a case of something because you are hoarding and overpay, but find it cheaper 2 days later, you will take back your hoarding to Costco. I saw it in front of me at Sams Club. Lady wanted to return 2 bundles of paper towels.
I am pretty sure people that bought a lot more than needed would want to return some of the hoarded stuff once their bills start coming in.
Yes. They try to, I saw a man with his teenage son ( caucasian ）try to return arrowhead water, it’s on sale for $3.39, they said they want to return, the associate said no water return, they want to talk to the manager, they tell the manager—we didn’t snap up in store, we bought online, you know—-( in my mind. I wont give them return, because I was wait a long line (45 min) in the early morning while raining, go to store just have limited 1 pk of water and 1 pk of toilet paper + 1 pk of paper towel, I am ok with that, at least every one have 1) then why they hoarding all then return now, selfish people.
People who bought a bunch thinking they could price gouge people and sell on amazon. Amazon shut down accounts doing this. Now trying to take back….. Costco is letting them know ….sorry you are stuck with it. 👍🏻
They’re still selling it on eBay though. For like $5 a roll. It’s disgusting.
Some people are going on eBay with fake accounts and “shill bidding” the toilet paper up to ridiculous amounts and then never paying. I guess its trying to teach the hoarders a lesson. Both parties can get kicked off eBay for doing it, but it is pretty funny to see some of the “Sold” toilet paper listings that supposedly went for $1000 or some crazy amount.
I’m soooo glad they are doing this too! I live in WI and the government has also called out stores that are price gouging as well and told them to stop.
Policies don’t come from nowhere, there is usually a story behind someone taking the time to make a policy… and if they are simply being proactive about it – well good.
People need to understand that once a product goes into someone’s home, it most likely will become contaminated with anything that happens to be in the home. Virus or otherwise. This is done for the safety of others.
Including pet hair, pet waste, pet smells, and cigarette and cooking odors.
Including human hair, human waste, human odors. I bought an electronic one time and the box had plenty of human hair inside.
Exactly!
Good for Costco! Glad they are doing this!
Good! Hopefully they give it to people who need it.
Ours will not take food or anything in the “drugstore” section back either. Glad that all the hoarders and profiteers will get stuck.
I was “lucky” enough to be at Costco at a time when everyone was in full-on doomsday mode. While I was there, the cashier who was checking us out told me that everyone who stocked up on water, hand sanitizer, and canned goods would be returning it in a month. So the problem is real. Also, like Jim said, you never know what microbes the merchandise has acquired after leaving the store, and these items could easily be vectors for spreading COVID-19.
They should’ve placed limits on items from the very beginning
Laure, an interesting article to read that was on NPR: “All Of This Panic Could Have Been Prevented’: Author Max Brooks On COVID-19”
Thank you – just read it. I couldn’t agree more
Thanks for listing this, it is an excellent article.
Bingo! It’s not the public’s fault for buying extra when the world is in a Pandemic. If you have the money & pay for your stuff like just like everyone else buy what you need. Everyone is so critical & nosy over what each individual is purchasing. How do you know if that person isn’t stocking up, because they have underlying health issues that put them at greater risk for the virus & shouldn’t be out to begin with, or that they are the main shopper for a household of senior citizens, disabled, or people with heart disease or lung problems, all of which are at high risk.
And maybe they are like me and have been all over town and can’t find one roll of toilet paper or bread and I am 68 and not well… this is a big strain because those hoarders are not thinking of the whole of us… they are acting selfish and uncontrollable… I just think the limiting would have stopped much of this… I got my 1st loaf of bread yesterday since this thing started… I think it’s sad to hurt others because you want it all…
Applause to Costco! Those looking to profit off others in distress highly frustrates me. Thankful Costco is taking a stand against such practices.
I like this. Plus no one is going to take back toilet paper unless they pulled a bonehead and tried to hoard for profit purposes. They may as well save it because eventually they will use it…eventually….
If you try to return TP, the other shoppers should get to use the rolls to throw at you.
💯👍👍
Unfortunately, people do this a lot. I live in Central Florida and we go through this everytime a hurricane comes. People hoard food and supplies then try to return it when they don’t use it. All the food that is returned has to be discarded. I think this policy should be in place anytime there is an emergency situation.
Yep! Return lines out the door at Publix because suddenly there was no storm and they need to pay rent. If you live in Florida, you should always go into season with at least 2 weeks of canned goods, water, meds, batteries etc. I never understood the crazy shelf clearing 2 days before a storm.
I live in Central Florida as well, and I think this policy should be implemented.
Good
I’m going almost daily after work, still no tp. I don’t understand! We are a family of 5 and we are now under 10 rolls. So it’s getting a little too close for comfort. How can people be so selfish? My husband did say when this was over and the supply was back to normal, he was going to store a few extra packages so we don’t have to experience this madness again.
Lynn, do you have an Aldi’s in the neighborhood? I just left there this morning in ours and they had TP. A few packs still on shelves, but I saw pretty much everyone walking out with some. Not me though.. I’ve used that TP calculator online! It’s a real thing. Funny though. Have to have some humor in all of this.
Just curious…how was aldi for other basic items? Milk, bread, potatoes, meat, etc. I would like to make a trip but don’t want to go just to walk into an empty store. 😔
Brenda, ours had limit 2 dozen eggs (typically 6), limit 1 milk (no skim milk tho) but they had milk. They had bread, potatoes, and looked like freezers were fairly well stocked.
Thank you all for the responses!! I like that they are limiting items! Ensuring everyone has a chance to get what they NEED. Stay safe everyone! 😃
I was in Aldi’s in Augusta, GA and they limit things even macaroni… They had lots of milk, eggs and some bread but no TP when I was there and their prices were great.
Lisa, my husband did the TP calculator too!!! 🙂 I don’t think it was right about us though. It did not take into account that 3/5 of us are female.
Brenda, I found everything BUT TP at my Aldi this weekend!!! Good luck!
Lynn same thing happened to me. We were at 5 rolls and looking for at alternatives like a bidet lol, but my husband went to walmart as soon as they opened and they do have them in stock but there is a line and they limit you to one package which was fine by us.
Baby wipes work as well.
Boxes tissues will work in a pinch. Just make sure you have a small trash can lined with a grocery bag and extra grocery bags underneath because you don’t want to flush those. Tell the family to discard tissues in the can, tie up the bag and set up the bag for the next person. Then toss outside.
Try Sam’s Club if you have one. If you don’t have a membership, go to Customer Service & you should be able to get a one day pass. They’ve been good able putting limits on most of these items so there would be enough for everyone. Also try your local Mexican grocery stores, some are fully stocked.
I live in Virginia, so I don’t know if this will help. Target had large packages of Charmin and Lysol spray today
I found it super helpful to check Target inventory online. I’m lucky to have several stores in reasonable distance. I found one with several brands showing in stock. Had to stand in line before the store opened, but mission accomplished.
Just use water. Cleaner than TP anyway.
Are you asking people at the store and not just checking the shelves? There’s a few stores near me that I’m hearing DO have toilet paper but they’re keeping it in back and giving one package at a time if someone asks for it because every time they put it on the shelf it’s cleared instantly and they don’t have a ton of it. I guess they figure if you’re asking you must actually need it?
You need to go to Costco the morning, the TP is sold out in the afternoon where I live.
Don’t forget to check your local drugstores for toilet paper.
I totally get why this policy is in force, however, just as an FYI, yesterday I went to Safeway and bought hamburger and hot dog buns. I accidentally grabbed the wrong brand on the hamburger buns. They were right next to one another, the same color, etc. but the ones I got were THREE times as much as the ones I wanted. They try to check you out quick, so they totaled and when I realized the total was higher than it should have been and realized I got the wrong brand. I asked if I could just exchange them for the right brand (I never left the store and the buns are packaged of course) and they said NO, new policy. I totally understand if I took the items home, opened them, if it was produce, etc. but I thought that was over the top. It was treated like “you touched it, you buy it”. Yikes I paid 3 times what the other brand was……so, I think that was carrying the no returns a little too far. I only wanted to exchange. When I asked for a manager I got the “they are on lunch (at 8 p.m.) for another half hour if you want to wait.”..What do you guys think? Was I wrong to be miffed about that?
Maybe you should have just walked out and bought nothing just to prove a point. Where did it say that you were obligated to buy the products you touch?
Since you didn’t even leave the store this is really silly. The packages on the shelves are touched by numerous people who pick up and put back down and don’t purchase the item. Plus the numerous people who touched it before it reached the store.
Since you didn’t leave the store I think they were totally in the wrong. I bought wings at Publix the other day instead of the mixed chicken. Looked at my receipt as I was walking away and noticed the price. Went to the service desk and told them. She saw that I didn’t leave and let me grab what I meant to. She did the exchange and they went and put the wings right back. If I would have left the store, I NEVER would have gone back in since they would have had to throw them away. At that point, my mistake, my problem.
I am with you. I would have never asked if I had gone home and figured it out at that point. I literally was handed my receipt at the end of the checkout and saw it and was then told “too bad”. They saw I had JUST bought it and had just left the register. Yikes.
If they break the rule for you, then why even have a rule/policy in place? Self entitlement is the problem in this case.
I think it’s called making a mistake. People do it all the time. When I make a mistake I gladly correct it by putting back the wrong item and picking up the right item. Never had a problem yet. I don’t really know how correcting a mistake is entitlement. Usually takes 30 seconds or less. I bought paper towels at Staples. I noticed when I got out to the car the paper towels package was torn all on the bottom. I drove them back in the cart and told the guy I discovered the item had been ripped open. He gladly let ME walk over and pick up a new package and leave. Simple as that. The hoarding situation is completely different and obviously not a mistake when someone takes 40 packages back for a refund.
I don’t think it’s self-entitlement. The Instacart shopper mistakenly added body wash to my grocery order–I only ordered food–that I now can’t take back due to the “no return” policy. Not even my mistake or something I would buy due to skin sensitivities or at a price that I would even pay. I’ll move on with life but that’s another example of a mistake that happened that can’t even be rectified. Mistakes happen. I think the store should have let her do a return or exchange.
It has more to do with they don’t necessarily have the extra help/time to do returns right now. The lines are so ridiculously long they are trying to get through them…at least at my local store. And the no return signs are posted all around. Unfortunately if they did this for every customer imagine how backed up they would get. It’s not the cashiers or managers fault it’s just the way it is right now.
unfortunately , yours was an honest mistake … and being you did not leave the store i agree with you, as far as touching items, we don’t know how many people handled that pkg before you did.. but some hoarders will try to use that as an excuse.. i bought the wrong ones
I’m going to be the odd man out here and say I’ll agree with the store on this one. In times like these, only pick something off the shelf you are sure to buy. Picking up things, putting them in your cart and then placing back on the shelf is a way for germs to spread.
Yes, IMO, you were wrong to be ‘miffed’. Typically, there are no ‘accidents’ and your trying to blame Safeway for ‘checking you out too quickly’ for your failure to look at an item better before putting it in your cart AND before checking out. Where is the self responsibility in this instance? Instead of placing blame, take responsibility for yourself and realize, you failed to look at the product better before checking out.
I wish I lived in your perfect world. Are unicorns there? You can’t treat customers like crap and use the pandemic as a reason to do it. Plus everyone makes mistakes. I don’t agree with the store. These items are handled numerous times by all sorts. So don’t tell me it’s about germs!!
And customers cant treat a store like crap because they feel entitled to do so.
I agree Debbie. Thank you for your opinion.
Agreed Debbie. I don’t see why some people get angry and want to “speak to the manager” over their own small mistakes. Will you care about this or will it bother you in 5 years? Probably not and not worth it. Don’t waste your own precious time and other’s. Learn from your mistake and next time be more careful. It’ll save a lot of unnecessary headaches.
Oh no!!! I would have refused, that’s insane! For example, a month or so ago meijer had blueberries on sale, 2 packs for 3 bucks. The organic ones were right next to it, I accidentally grabbed them. They rang up at EIGHT DOLLARS FOR 1!!! I said oh heck no! Please put that back, not paying 16 bucks for 2 packs blueberries! At that point myself as well as the cashier had touched it!
The bad apples always ruin it for the good ones. Unfortunately they have to make any policy an across the board one because otherwise someone could sue for discrimination. I know that sounds ridiculous, but people do this (probably thr same ones that are hoarding).
Something similar happened to me last week. I meant to purchase an item that was on sale and accidentally grabbed a similar item that was not on sale. I normally check my receipt before I leave the store and this time I noticed the price difference. But unlike you I just sucked it up since I knew they were not accepting returns. It really sucked because I bought two of the non sale item and that was so much money. When I got home I ate some of it angrily. And every time I eat it, I’ll be upset thinking about how much I paid for it.
I always keep a running total in my head of what every transaction should come to prior to tax before I get rung up. If the difference is higher than I expect, I have the cashier look it over before I pay and take my stuff. I’m glad I do that because there were a couple times an Albertsons ecoupon didn’t come off. Had I not had that running total in my mind, I would have overpaid and not noticed until I got home. It’s a very good habit to get into, it will save you time, mileage no matter what is going on in our world.
My sister does this and I guess I should try to get into that habit also. I usually try to remember to look at the screen as the cashier is scanning in case something rings up at a different price, but I get so frazzled with all the people waiting behind me, quickly trying to unloading the cart while they start ringing stuff up and then I go from that to trying to bag my groceries as they ring it up. Needless to say, I always forget to watch the monitor. I’m going to start doing what you do.
Feelings aren’t right or wrong–they are what they are. As for the buns, I feel your pain. Somehow I manage to do the same thing–frequently! That said, is the extra $5 or whatever worth worrying about right now?
I personally would have not made a gruff about it over a $4-$6 difference instead of if the cheaper ones were only $2-3 a package. It takes more time to bring up the issue to the manager and cashier and time to come into more contact with anything or anyone that may be contaminated over such a small amount. Sometimes you just have to live and learn and realize that mistakes happen and just learn for next time. Yes if it happened every time it would amount would add up but I would have just kicked myself and kept it moving to minimize the amount of contact with others for sure. But to each their own 🙂
I dont know what’s more wild. Your story or the fact that people are siding with the store instead of you. By that dumb store logic they should be watching people by the shelves too and forcing them to purchase everything they touch and put back. Nobody knows how many people have touched things before they buy it. If you didn’t pay yet then they should have subtracted the item from your purchase. That is just madness! I’m sorry that happened to you and you have every right to be mad. Also I’ve never heard of a grocery store with just one manager. They were lying to get you to leave.
Ps: in a world where many people are out of work and dont know when their next paycheck is coming how dare anyone judge you for not wanting to overpay for something you didnt plan for. The audacity!
Winco, and Fred Meyer have posted similar signs as well. And I think it’s the right thing to do. I haven’t been able to find toilet paper, flour, rice, and barely found some sugar for our family of six just to get normal groceries in the house. Finally found baby wipes for my newborn. Grateful I was due with baby 1.5 months ago and was able to grab items to keep in the house just so I can stay home with newborn (and the 3 other littles) to rest and recover.
I’m going to stand outside of costco and wait for those people who want to return their excessive purchases and offer them half of what they paid. Of course only unwrapped and unused toilet paper. Haha
LOL! That’s actually a good idea.
I never thought that needed to be said!
GOOD!!! For Those greedy people 🥳 I know we are in difficult times but buying things for the single intention of reselling at a higher price 😡 NOTOKAY
I never did understand the water hoarding. For the paper items, why go to the trouble of returning them, when they don’t expire, and you will eventually use them all up anyway.
exactly!! At one point, I ended up with so much kleenex (because of the deals I kept seeing on a certain site…lookin’ at you, Hip2Save!) that I didn’t have to buy any for TWO YEARS!! (And, no, I didn’t hoard it all at once–I kept adding it to my Subscribe & Save orders when a deal would be posted and it wasn’t until they started rolling in that I realized how much I’d ordered! LOL)
I’ve done the same with paper supplies and laundry detergent. Then when it is time to buy more you are surprised how much smaller things have gotten! Like the Tide laundry detergent used to be ~32 loads now it’s 25. The containers look so small next to each other.
Thank you, Costco!
Yes that’s good it’s been crazy over 200 people were lined up to go in Tuesday. I cant wait till I can go and do my regular shopping for our household with 5 children. I always buy a pack a month of toilet paper at Costco but due to worry that they wont have any when I go next week I ordered some angel soft on walmart.com this morning that wont even ship out until April 10th but at least I know we will have some. Times sure have changed in a short matter of time.
Momof5, I ordered that Angel Soft last night. I also ordered paper towels. Mine will arrive on April 8th.
COSTCO PIZZA IS THE BEST!!!!
Does anyone have a coupon to justice????
I am seeing thermometers being sold for $150-$250 (priced in store $20-$50) on Mercari and people are buying them!!! My thermometer broke and I can’t even find a single one in any store. I hope they don’t take back thermometers either!!!
I think sanitizing wipes and the Lysol sprays are also banned from being returned. I totally agree with that policy.
Good.
My Spouts put signs about 10 days ago that they will not accept any returns at this time.
All people have to do is go on Amazon and order a bidet. I ordered one like 1 year ago as kind of a gag gift for my wife because it was on sale. It was one that you attach to your toilet. It works great and i tell her now “see….you laughed when i first got it, now you’re glad i did, Huh?”. You just need a couple squares of T.P. to dry yourself. Unless you’re like me, and like to drip dry….Ha ha
That gave me a good laugh.
I am disappointed that Costco was so slow to implement limits, and I think they are out of touch as to what other things need limits as well – almond/peanut butter, napkins, dish soap, etc. These things have been out of stock on their website for almost 2 weeks and there is no limit. So 3rd parties have bought it all up and I have seen this stuff sold on Amazon for 100-200% markups. Costco, GET A CLUE!!
All stored should really be doing what Target is doing and suspending returns altogether for a while. Unless stores can guarantee returned items will be sanitized or not be returned to the shelf for a few weeks.
Because they are hoarding it and re-selling it at very inflated prices!!! 😡😡 They are figuring wat the don’t sell when this nightmare is all over they will just return what they have left! DUH!!! Lol! Now they can’t return it!!! 😅🤣😂 KITTY ON THEM!!! 🤣
It is such a great day out today in Chicago 60 degrees!! Get out and do some yard work..
Good because people that bought to much is just ridiculous.
Good. Greedy people stockpiling and depriving others
So can we buy these online now? This pandemic will still get worse before it calms down…we need total lockdown
I have been looking for at least a 4 pack of toilet paper for the past 3 weeks without any luck…. I am down to 2 rolls that my local restaurant was handing out to customers who ordered take out. People who are hoarding make me sad…. it is pure greed.
That’s a very smart move!
While I realize there probably is a lot of hoarding happening, it’s not always the case. So maybe we shouldn’t be quick to judge? For example, I work in an ER and our director purchased a lot of toilet paper and other things that are not available to purchase (sold out everywhere) and has them in her office for us. She said that after a day (or days, or weeks or months or however long this is going to continue) of working in the ER, we shouldn’t have to be worrying about toilet paper (or other basics).
Well, Walmart stopped taking returns, Cvs stops tomorrow and so many other stores will not be accepting returns. My daughter almost got jumped by two much bigger women because they didn’t feel she was 6’ away at Walmart’s!!! So sad!!! I truly understand the new policy, until we can get back our normal THIS will be our new normal. Let’s be patient and pray for this to be over it’s affecting so many people and has brought them so much pain so we got this!!!
Here are some idea’s if you do not have TP. I always have tons of baby wipes around. Just do not flush. The good old wash cloths also work. Cut a roll of paper towels in half and throw away in trash. Old rags also will work. Good lessons learned after this always have an ampule supply of TP.
they need to Add medication in the list too like Vitamins. for anyone who buy too many not allow to return.
Good.
Hey ME- Please do not go to any grocery stores! Problem solved! You won’t make a mistake and none of the stores will have to deal with you. Everyone of the employees are risking their lives and the welfare of their families to keep the shelves stocked. I’d gladly give you $1 or $2 for your mistake if you promise never to set foot in the store ever again. We are lucky that the vast majority of the customers realize that and thank us for taking that risk so they can feed themselves and their families. There is no law that states that grocery stores have to stay open or that WE have to go to work to stock the shelves so please be grateful or stay home.
My husband bought a case of baby wipes instead of flushable toilet wipes, will Costco accept the baby wipes back?