Costco Is Now Refusing Returns On In-Demand Items Like Rice And Toilet Paper

The news around the COVID-19 outbreak is constantly changing, but information about food safety and how to keep yourself healthy is crucial right now. Here is a comprehensive list on the foods you should be stocking up on (opens in new tab) during this period of social distancing, as well as information about your local grocery stores’ changing hours (opens in new tab), an explanation of “no-contact delivery,” (opens in new tab) and a guide on how to help your community and its businesses (opens in new tab) throughout closures.

Notices posted at Costco this week indicate the store is no longer accepting returns on key items that many are stocking up on the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The signs, posted by several Costco Instagram accounts (not affiliated with the store itself), indicate that returns are not being accepted on toilet paper, paper towels, rice, water, sanitizing wipes, and Lysol.

It's not clear if the new policy is store-by-store or part of a national corporate push. Costco announced limits earlier this week on certain items that have seen a spike in purchases as customers stock up. This could be part of that policy, but we've reached out to Costco for more information. For the time being, it's best to refer to your local Costco for more information on its policies.

Regardless, commenters had positive things to say about the new policy, hoping that it will lead to fewer people panic-buying these items, as well as risking unnecessary contact by attempting to return them later.

"This is such great news! I’m tired of all those people that buy toilet paper and think they can just return it later when they don’t need it," one person wrote.

"It’s about time! Too many people taking advantage of their return policy," another wrote.

Costco is just one of many grocery and big-box stores implementing new temporary policies  (opens in new tab)to adjust to high volumes of shoppers amidst the coronavirus outbreak, including reducing store hours and placing limits on certain items.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here