Costco Customers Complain Meat Prices Are Out of Control
Meat prices are sky-high right now, not just for typically expensive cuts of beef and chicken but across the board, and even warehouse chains are feeling the bite. One Costco member recently paid a visit to their local store and was absolutely shocked to see a specific meat item more expensive than ever before. Here’s what shoppers are saying about the insane price hikes happening for staple items.
Expensive Beef
One Columbia, SC-based Costco member shared a picture of packs of USDA Choice Beef Tenderloin at their local warehouse, priced at a whopping $29.99 a pound. “I went to Costco in Columbia SC for beef tenderloin…I was shocked by $30/pound. Anyone else seeing it this high?” they asked. “Beef prices are out of control right now. When fresh salmon is cheaper than chuck, something’s wrong,” another responded.
Supply and Demand Issues
Shoppers have noticed the increasing beef prices for at least five years now, with a combination of factors impacting the supply chain. “Something went wrong 5 years ago,” one Redditor said. “Record drought in 2019-2020 combined with pandemic disruptions caused cattle ranchers to thin their herds because feed got so expensive. Market conditions never recovered. Those herds did not regenerate. It takes years for those herds to recover after they’re thinned down like that. Now add to all these tariffs. We can’t import beef to address our own shortfall whose origins track back six years and won’t end for at least a few more.”
RELATED: 7 Costco Staples Healthy Shoppers Say They Can’t Live Without
High Markups
One Costco member who works in the industry shared a fact that really brings home how crazy prices have become. “In 2019 I was selling calves for $500 and now it’s $2500,” they said. “I sell at auctions and feedlot operations are the main buyers. They fatten them up and sell them to the meat packets. There are four meat packing companies that control 85% of the market. So they are able to pay less for the meat but sell it at a high markup.”
Salmon Burgers
Some shoppers are focusing on alternative sources of protein like the Trident Seafoods Alaskan Salmon Burgers. “Salmon Burgers at Costco, $20 for 12 burgers. They are wild caught from Alaska and de-boned. They are like salmon cakes,” one Redditor said. “The salmon burgers are one of my favorite things from Costco,” another agreed.
Kirkland Organic Extra Firm Tofu
Other customers are incorporating plant-based protein to fill in the gaps, like the Kirkland Organic Extra Firm Tofu. “We started incorporating tofu into our dinner rotation a couple years ago.as a way to save money. Freezing it improves the texture tremendously and it’s super versatile, though I mainly use it as the protein in a stir fry. Works better than you’d think for tacos, too,” one Redditor said.
