Costco shoppers may swear by the store, but twenty twenty five is bringing major changes, from surprising soda shifts to a new take on health and even muffin madness. The retail giant is shaking things up in ways you might not expect.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Costco shoppers may swear by the store, but 2025 is bringing major changes, from surprising
00:05soda shifts to a new take on health and even muffin madness. The retail giant is shaking
00:10things up in ways you might not expect.
00:13Surprisingly, Costco is not yet in all 50 U.S. states. As of early 2025, three states
00:18are still missing from Costco's map — Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming. A 2024
00:23attempt to bring a Costco to Rhode Island fell through.
00:26But what's next for the retailer's expansion plans? Costco's fiscal year runs from September
00:311, 2024, to August 31, 2025, meaning it's already four months into its operational year.
00:38During this period, the company plans to open 19 new U.S. stores and 10 internationally.
00:43So far, seven new locations have already been launched in the first quarter of 2025. Among
00:48the upcoming openings are two new stores in California — one in Brentwood and another
00:52in Highland — which will bring the total to 142 locations in the state. Texas is also
00:57getting two new Costco locations in Weatherford and Prosper, raising its store count to 45.
01:03Other confirmed locations for 2025 include stores in Genesee County, Michigan, which
01:08will bring the state's total to 18, and Sharon, Massachusetts, which will add to Massachusetts'
01:13growing Costco presence, now at eight.
01:15While there's no confirmation yet for new stores in Rhode Island, West Virginia, or
01:19Wyoming, there's still hope. After all, Maine didn't get its first Costco until 2023, so
01:25the chain's expansion is always evolving.
01:27The wait is finally over.
01:29Come on in.
01:30Today, Maine welcomed its first-ever Costco.
01:35Costco is known for keeping new products under wraps, often leaving customers to discover
01:39them on their own and spread the word. In December 2024, shoppers were pleasantly surprised
01:45to find bottles of Kirkland Signature Cognac on the shelves. Some enthusiasts quickly praised
01:50it as a worthy competitor to Hennessy, sparking excitement for more unexpected finds in 2025.
01:56As the new year unfolds, Costco has already introduced a range of fresh items. Among them
02:00are Nutrius Body Mist, an iHome Smart Mirror, Hobie Polarized Sunglasses, Bridgestone Premium
02:07Golf Bags, and Stahikum Boots.
02:09Looking ahead, it's clear that Costco has more surprises in store. Past years have seen
02:13unexpected arrivals like new bakery items in 2023 and Whataburger Ketchup in 2024. With
02:19Costco's track record of surprise product launches, shoppers can be sure that the shelves
02:23will continue to feature exciting new finds throughout the year.
02:27In 2013, Costco made a surprising switch from Coca-Cola to Pepsi, but now it looks like
02:32the two companies have struck a new deal, and another change is on the way. The 2013
02:37switch was driven by necessity, as Costco's iconic $1.50 hot dog combo and its rotisserie
02:42chicken — both major customer favorites — needed to be supported by a more cost-effective
02:47partnership at the time.
02:48I mean, $1.50 for a quarter-pound hot dog. And a drink. Très bien, right?"
02:56To maintain the same price, Costco swapped in the more budget-friendly Pepsi back in
03:002013. While it's still unclear when the food courts will make the switch back to Coca-Cola,
03:05the new deal suggests there could be some changes ahead.
03:08Many customers have long voiced frustrations on social media about Costco's soda fountains,
03:13which are often criticized for inconsistent taste, whether too watery, too syrupy, or
03:18lacking carbonation. With the return to Coke, there's hope that the soda quality will improve,
03:22which might actually be a win for everyone, even those loyal to Pepsi.
03:26In 2025, Costco is making a major change to its muffin offerings. A Reddit post revealed
03:31that the store will no longer sell two six-packs of mixed flavors. Instead, muffins will now
03:36be sold in eight packs of a single flavor, and the new muffins will be smaller in size.
03:41Reddit users quickly crunched the numbers and discovered that the price per ounce would
03:45increase by 58 percent, making them significantly more expensive. Given the broader trend of
03:50rising food costs, this change hasn't gone over well with many Costco shoppers, who are
03:54disappointed by the price hike and the loss of flavor variety.
03:58In 2024, Costco made waves by increasing its membership fees for the first time in years,
04:03signaling bigger changes ahead for its membership structure. Later in the year, the company
04:07announced plans to install membership card scanners at store entrances, allowing only
04:12members and their guests to enter. Additionally, a photo ID will be required for entry, marking
04:17a shift in Costco's access policies. This move is bad news for the many people who've
04:21gotten used to sharing a membership with friends, family, or co-workers.
04:26Membership sharing has become more common in recent years, but Costco is now cracking
04:29down, stressing that only paying members should enjoy the club's perks. The company suggests
04:34this new policy will not only curb membership sharing, but could also speed up the checkout
04:38process, as members will have already scanned their cards at the entrance.
04:42The new scanners began appearing in late 2024, with more expected to roll out over the coming
04:47months. While Costco hasn't specified exactly when they'll be in place at all locations,
04:52members should be prepared. And if you've been relying on your membership for food court
04:55access, be aware that Costco has confirmed you'll need a membership to buy food there
04:59as well.
05:00In late 2024, Costco shoppers began noticing a shift in the layout of food courts, with
05:05some regular seating being replaced by high, standing-only tables. This change is gradually
05:10rolling out across more locations, and is expected to continue into 2025. The move appears
05:15to be aimed at maximizing space in the often-crowded food courts. However, the new setup has sparked
05:20mixed reactions. While the idea of creating more room sounds good in theory, it's proving
05:25less popular in practice for many customers.
05:28Some Reddit users have pointed out that the standing tables have become convenient spots
05:32for discarded trash, leading to a messier environment. Others argue that these tables
05:36are impractical for families with young children who need seating. And concerns about accessibility
05:41have also surfaced. While not all Costco food courts are replacing every table, the changes
05:46have nonetheless caused some frustration.
05:48On the flip side, there are those who appreciate the standing tables, seeing them as a space-saving
05:52solution in busy areas. They also point out that standing tables can be ideal for quick
05:57meals, like grabbing a hot dog before heading out, and help clear space for people to move
06:02through the crowded food courts more easily.
06:04E-readers like Amazon's Kindle are becoming increasingly popular, but for those who enjoy
06:08picking up physical books during their Costco trips, there's some disappointing news. Costco
06:13recently announced plans to phase out book sales at most of its locations. However, before
06:18you panic, there's a little more to the story. While books will be disappearing from the
06:22shelves at the majority of Costco stores, they'll still be available at roughly a hundred
06:26locations.
06:27The decision to reduce book sales seems to be primarily driven by financial concerns.
06:32Books take up a significant amount of retail space that could be used for higher-margin
06:35products, and maintaining the book section requires additional labor. It appears Costco
06:40is making room for what it believes will be a more profitable use of that space.
06:44The company says it's just too labor-intensive to stock books at the stores.
06:49This shift isn't entirely new. Since 2022, Costco locations in Alaska and Hawaii have
06:54already stopped selling books. Some experts argue it limits access to physical books,
06:59while others believe it could boost traffic to local bookstores. However, publishing analyst
07:03Thad McIlroy told USA Today that the impact may be more complex than it appears.
07:08It really meant a lot to the industry that Costco was a strong outlet. It's a really
07:12tough time to be a publisher, regardless of your size, so having something like this kick
07:16you in the face when you're down is not a good thing.
07:19In late 2024, the FDA introduced significant updates to food labeling standards, which
07:24could bring sweeping changes to products like Costco's Kirkland Signature line. To earn
07:28the healthy label, foods must now meet stricter requirements on things like sodium, sugar,
07:34and saturated fat. There are also new criteria for ingredients, such as requiring products
07:38to include fruits, vegetables, or dairy to be considered healthy.
07:42Over the next few years, we can expect many retailers, including Costco, to overhaul their
07:47product lines to comply with these updated rules. On the surface, this change seems like
07:51a win for consumers, making it easier to identify nutritious options based on clear,
07:56consistent labels. However, experts warn that there may be unintended consequences. While
08:01these changes aim to improve transparency and promote healthier choices, they don't
08:05address the longstanding issue of the high cost of healthy foods.
08:09As products are reformulated to meet the new standards, it's possible that prices could
08:13increase, especially for items that require higher-quality ingredients. The real impact
08:17of these changes is still uncertain, but higher costs for healthier options could create
08:22challenges for consumers on tighter budgets.