What Happens To Returned Costco Food, According To A Former Employee

If you're one of the many people concerned about food waste, then you're in good company. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 60 million tons of food is wasted each year, and a big portion of that waste comes from the food retail sector. So when it comes to returning food you've bought at the grocery store, it makes sense that you might have some pause before heading to the customer service counter.

Luckily, for Costco shoppers, the wholesaler has a pretty decent policy when it comes to returning non-perishable food. According to The Costco Dude, a Costco employee who shares his insights and experiences from his last 17 years working with the company, Costco donates unopened, returned non-perishable food items, as well as the bread, muffins, and meats they don't sell, to an organization that distributes the food to unhoused people, shelters, and others in need. When it comes to fresh or frozen food, however, Costco aligns with all food retailers in that the returned food has to be tossed out due to liability reasons.

For some people, it may seem a little odd to bring food back to the grocery store, even if the food has spoiled. But there are big benefits to returning your food. Costco even has a no-questions-asked total reimbursement policy when your food spoils before the best-by date, even if it's been partially eaten. This is because your return helps the grocery store gain insight into why or why not certain items are selling. Whenever a customer brings in a return, Costco tracks the reasoning to help make sure they are properly stocking their shelves. If the reason is as simple as "didn't like the product" this is still useful for them to know.

Additionally, if your item falls in that non-perishable category, Costco is able to donate it as we mentioned above. According to Feeding America, a non-profit working to end hunger in the United States, it "secured more than 2 billion pounds of food — including a significant amount of produce, dairy and protein — through retail donations" in 2022. So not only does your return get your money refunded, it informs Costco of an item that they should potentially discontinue, and helps Americans struggling with food insecurity.