You Can Bring Your Own Shopping Bags To Costco — But Under One Condition

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It makes sense that Costco doesn't offer regular paper or plastic bags for their groceries; in addition to environmental and economical reasons, most of the items are large or sold in bulk and simply don't fit in a normal bag. Luckily, the members-only warehouse allows customers to bring their own bags to fill with their groceries. However, bear in mind that under their member guidelines, Costco has the right to inspect any bag, container, or backpack as you enter the store and upon departure. If you want to take advantage of their wholesale prices on bulk items, this is just one of those Costco rules you can't break (or else).

Because of this rule and to make it easy on Costco employees and yourself, it's best to make sure your shopping bags are empty on arrival and only filled with purchased items when leaving the store. Also, as you exit, a Costco worker will check your receipt and peruse your cart to verify your purchases, so it's best to have your items in open bags or containers. 

Costco does provide empty boxes left over from food storage for shoppers to use for their groceries. These are typically located near the checkout in a giant cardboard pile. However, if it's a busy weekend, that pile might be significantly diminished. Therefore, it's always a great idea to bring your own reusable shopping bags or other containers that can accommodate bulk items.

The bigger the better when it comes to shopping bags for Costco. Fortunately, there are numerous options for reusable grocery bags from Amazon that are absolutely worth it. Choose a sturdy bag or tote with a solid bottom so it will stand in the cart and your trunk, such as Green Bulldog Reusable Grocery Bags. Portable fabric trunk organizers, like EPAuto's Foldable Car Trunk Organizer, will also easily fit in Costco's large grocery carts and are perfect for sorting your groceries. 

Besides bags and fabric containers, another option (and my personal favorite shopping container for Costco) is a collapsible plastic crate, similar to CleverMade's Collapsible Storage Bins. Being plastic, these containers are easy to clean in case of any spills and can typically hold a significant amount of weight (CleverMade's hold up to 75 pounds). Put a couple of them in your cart to hold your items while you shop or leave them in your trunk and load them up in the parking lot. They also fold flat for compact storage when not in use. 

The warehouse doesn't sell bags at the checkout, although you'll likely find some reusable totes and collapsible bins on the shelves amongst the other home goods. If Costco superfans are lucky, the bulk retailer will bring back the popular Costco-themed tote that was included with a gift membership during the 2024 holiday season. The tote featured cartoons of Costco favorites like the food court pizza and hot dog.