It’s not uncommon for Costco members to gush about the items they love most from the store. Part of this has to do with many feeling like they’re getting great quality items at a relatively low cost. However, the warehouse retailer is far from flawless, especially when the store messes with any of its beloved in-house food items. Now, some shoppers are calling out Costco for changes it appears to have made to some of its most popular products, including one seasonal staple.
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Customers claim Costco peppermint bark has shrunk.
Copyright @infinitely.balanced / TikTok
Seasonal items hold a very special place in the hearts of devoted Costco shoppers. But this year, one member is concerned that there’s one less reason to feel merry.
In a recent video, TikTok user @infinitely.balanced claims that her annual purchase of peppermint bark is clearly different from previous seasons. “Costco, what the [expletive] is this?” she asks. “This is not like their other peppermint bark, but this [expletive] was still $15. I want you to take a look at this: If you’ve purchased peppermint bark from Costco, you know what you’re looking at.”
She then shows how thin the pieces now appear to be, saying it “disappears” and that “it was never like this before.” She says the previous sweet treat was much thicker and harder to break while claiming in the caption that the change is “shrinkflation.”
“Honestly, it’s still delicious, but it should be $8, not $15!” she complains.
Other members are accusing Costco of shrinking its beloved giant muffins.
Copyright @Skyerim / Reddit
Unfortunately, that’s not the only difference people are noticing in the bakery aisle. According to a recent post on the store’s subreddit, Costco has also significantly changed its popular oversized muffins.
A photo of a sign shows that the store is no longer selling 12-packs of mix-and-match muffin flavors for $9.99. Instead, they’re now only available in 8-packs of a single flavor for $6.99—and much smaller in size.
In a separate post, Reddit user and Costco bakery employee @Skyerim added further evidence of the major change by showing older, larger muffin tins alongside new, smaller ones. “Introducing: Smaller 8-pack of muffins to replace the giant ones we’ve loved for so many years,” they write in the caption.
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Some members once again accused Costco of “shrinkflation” due to the changes.
Customers appeared to immediately respond to the latest tweaks to the beloved baked goods with outright shock and disappointment. One even calculated the product's new net cost by comparing the old weight with the new one, finding that despite the slight drop in the overall price for a pack, the new 8-packs were 58 percent more expensive per ounce than the original version. This brought in some of the same criticisms heard about the store’s peppermint bark.
“This feels like shrinkflation,” one commenter wrote.
“We were so busy watching the hotdog price, we took our eyes off the real threat,” another wrote, referencing the store’s famously long-running cafeteria bargain.
The change appears to be alienating some long-time customers.
Others were more dire in their outlook. In a separate post, one shopper claims to have joined Costco three decades ago almost exclusively for access to the oversized muffins and is “very upset” after hearing about the changes.
“Costco is slowly starting down the path that had led to the demise of many other businesses,” they write. “They up the price for membership. They discontinue carrying other products that were a big draw to membership. And now: Downsizing the Signature Costco Muffins.”
“Costco is getting to be more like a Walmart,” they add. “And I do not pay for a membership at Walmart.”
Another commenter claims that one of their close friends is a baker at one of the warehouse retailers locations and that many employees are already bracing themselves for customer backlash—which might get even worse.
“The recipes are going to be completely different, it’s not just the size change,” they allege. “For example, the blueberry muffin is getting a streusel topping.”
Best Life has reached out to Costco regarding the changes, and we will update this story with any response.
The takeaway.
Costco shoppers are airing their frustrations on social media after the retailer changed the recipes and formats of their popular peppermint bark and oversized muffins. A few have tossed out accusations of “shrinkflation” as serving sizes appear to have shrunk, making the cost per ounce rise considerably for the muffins especially. Some are concerned this is another sign of the company cutting corners and making unpopular changes that alienate some of the most devoted members.
