Changes in well-loved and long-offered food items are often met with hefty critique from customers, for a variety of reasons. Whether the packaging update results in a shrinking of the amount of product included, or a change in the price of the item, eagle-eyed customers are quick to point out when their favorite item has had a change that will impact their user experience.
Costco is not immune to criticism of packaging change. Customers have previously called out the bulk retailer for changing the packaging of its mixed salted nuts. However, in this case, the response was positive—the packaging changed, the weight of the product remained the same, and the price actually went down.
Now, customers are reacting to a change in the packaging of the retailer’s prepared rotisserie chicken, claiming that the need to double bag the item defeats the purpose of reducing the amount of plastic used in its packaging.
In the video posted to TikTok by Yang Scharper (@onescharpmama), she calls out the retailer for the packaging change, as she says the bags now used for its chicken are prone to leaking.
“Costco make this make sense because I’m over here double bagging with more plastic because these bags are greasy and leaky AF so are we really saving plastic,” a text overlay on the video reads.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Scharper via TikTok direct message andto Costco via website contact form regarding the video.
The shift has prompted some shoppers to bulk buy many of the rotisserie chickens at once from Costco with plans to freeze them. Some customers have also reported that the unvented bags, allow the chicken to become soggy in some places and tend to become greasy when removing the bird.
Some viewers suggested that there were other reasons for switching up the packaging.
“It’s so they can hide the fact they’re using smaller and smaller chickens now,” one commenter speculated. “I always pick by which chicken is pressing on the container most.”
“It’s cheaper the containers cost more than the chicken,” another commented.
“It’s cheaper for them,” a third commenter wrote. “They lose money on rotisserie chickens but it draws people in to buy the more expensive stuff so they are trying to save themselves money on packaging.”
@onescharpmama @Costco Wholesale ILYSM but what is goin on?! They taste different too #costco #costcorotisseriechicken #rotisseriechicken ♬ the cat from ipanema – j1gggs
Others remarked that shoppers at other chains have learned to cope with plastic-bagged chicken, criticizing the reaction from Costco shoppers.
“Are y’all just letting them tumble in the carts?” one user said. “So many places sell their chickens like this and have never had issues as long as they are kept up right.”
“How come Kroger shoppers are emotionally and intellectually capable of switching to the bags, but Costco shoppers are losing minds?” another commented.
“What’s going on I get my chicken sometimes from Ralph’s and the bag it’s not an issue!” a further commenter wrote.
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