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Costco Is Alerting Members About Problems With These 2 Products

Full refunds are available to any member who recently purchased one.

Although Costco's online warehouse and app are not using the level of technology some of its rivals employ, the company has a robust system of tracking each item that every member buys. This makes it easy to alert anyone who purchased something that could be dangerous, is facing a recall, or is being pulled from shelves for another reason. And recently there have been two instances of this—here's everything Costco shoppers need to know.

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On August 18, members who purchased the 1-gallon jugs of Saffola Safflower Oil on August 2-12 were sent a letter from Ventura Foods, LLC because of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) market withdrawal of the product. The problem is not dangerous to anyone's health—the company says the oil is not 100% Safflower Oil but was blended with other edible plant-based oils inadvertently. Safflower oil is an oil that is used in cooking at high heat.

Costco doesn't specify which warehouses sold the product, but "If you are unsatisfied with your Saffola Safflower oil, please return it to your local Costco for a full refund," the company says in the alert. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."

Costco Saffola Safflower Oil
Courtesy of Costco

 

The other product the warehouse chain has alerted members about is the Kirkland Signature 3-pound Local Honey jug sold in 13 states because of a mistake with the label.

"Our records indicate that you, or one of your add-on members, purchased our Kirkland Signature 3lb Local Honey between January 2019 and August 2022," Costco says to members in an alert sent on August 19. "It has come to our attention that while the product is 100% pure honey, some of the product may contain non-local honey."

The honey in question was sold in warehouses in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

Costco Kirkland Signature 3lb Local Honey
Courtesy of Costco

Like the Safflower Oil, the warehouse chain says that anyone with the honey can return it to a warehouse for a full refund since trust and satisfaction in the products is important. Costco members on social media sites like Reddit applaud this, with one saying: "Respect for offering the refunding and not sweeping this under the rug."

Another agrees, mentioning another recent alert sent to members about recalled beverages. "They tend to be on top of their products! Last time I got the premier protein shakes and I got an email saying that the batch I got were being recalled… I was half way done with the box and they offered a full refund! Costco FTW!"

For more updates on product recalls and notices, head to Costco's website.

Amanda McDonald
Amanda has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in digital journalism from Loyola University Chicago. Read more about Amanda