A Frequently Returned Food Item At Costco Might Not Be Worth The Good Price

Costco has a famously liberal return policy. The store offers members a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and there are only a handful of items you can't bring back to the store for a refund — a claim shoppers have tested vigorously over the years. While many items are frequently returned at Costco, one of the more disappointing is meat products.

Costco shoppers have returned poultry and red meat to the retailer for a variety of reasons. Complaints of unsealed packaging, inconsistent quality, strange odors, pieces being too fatty, or even products spoiling before their expiration dates are common online when it comes to Costco's meat products. Given the warehouse store's money-back guarantee, the possibility that the meat you buy turns out to be unsafe or unappetizing might not seem like that big of a deal. However, Costco stores can be few and far between in some parts of the country, with members sometimes driving an hour or more to get to the nearest location. With that in mind, it's not always convenient or logistically possible for shoppers to return to Costco for a refund. Additionally, perishable items like meat are among the things you can't return via the Costco.com Self Service return option.

While you will likely find certain items at Costco for a better deal than you would elsewhere, it's actually somewhat rare to find particularly low-cost meat at the chain. Between the prices, potential lack of quality control, and the cost of membership fees — Costco's meat might not be worth the hassle.

Whether you're looking for affordable staples or high-quality cuts of meat, Costco's pricing isn't exactly stellar. For example, an 11-pound package of D'Artagnan Green Circle chicken breasts is $154.99, which comes out to $14.09 per pound. Meanwhile, you can buy a roughly three-pound package of the same product from D'Artagnan directly for $39.99 — or $13.33 per pound.

Costco's red meat offerings aren't much better when it comes to cost: Beef prices are at an all-time high, so savings can be essential for those looking to get steak. Costco stocks a 10.5-pound, 14-pack of New York Strip steaks for $239.99. At roughly $22.86 per pound, that might be more accessible than what you'd find through some high-end beef suppliers, but major grocery stores like Trader Joe's offer similar steaks for just $15.99 per pound. Even Costco's Kirkland Signature Pork Tenderloin lists for close to $4 per pound, while you can find similar options at Stop & Shop or Aldi for around $2.49 and $3.59 per pound, respectively.

There's also the price of entry to consider: Costco memberships start at $65 per year. That can certainly be worth the investment if you regularly meet the average amount Costco shoppers spend per trip, but if you're only visiting the warehouse a few times each year — or you only buy a few items at a time — that fee could significantly add to the cost of your meat purchases.