Costco’s New Rules Have Utah Shoppers Feeling Betrayed

A Utah Love Story on the Brink: Costco, Don’t Forget Who Brought You to the Dance

Once upon a time in the land of bees and family vans, there was a retail romance that felt destined—Costco and Utah. It was a match made in bulk-buy heaven.

Get our free mobile app

Where else could a Beehive State family snag 40 rolls of toilet paper, a Halloween costume, and a brisket the size of a toddler—all under one roof?

The Courtship’s Hits a Snag

According to a recent report, Costco has begun cracking down on membership sharing with a new tactic: requiring photo ID at self-checkout. For Utahns, who pride themselves on thrift, trust, and a touch of neighborly leniency, this move feels less like protecting profits and more like a breach of the social contract.

The Danger of Forgetting Your Base

Utahns aren’t just customers—they’re loyalists. They’ll drive past three other stores to get to Costco. They’ll plan Saturday outings around samples and stock up on funeral potatoes like it’s Y2K. But loyalty is a two-way street.

Now What?

With a somewhat rock in the relationship Costco might be making a new misstep. This one has them selling customers on the idea of upgrading memberships to the executive level. To do this they have added perks to the tier, which is great for Utah shoppers, added fees equals more value.

Read More: Shopping at the Mall in the 90's

This turns south as they seem to be willing to hard sell current customers on the idea. It's getting bad enough that some of the employees are tired of the pressuring us.

Costco, we get it. Margins matter. But don’t let corporate caution turn into cultural missteps. Utahns aren’t trying to game the system—we're trying to stretch a dollar and share the love.

So here’s a gentle reminder from the land of good budgets and a strong economy: Don’t forget who brought you to the dance. Utahns want to keep loving Costco—but only if Costco keeps loving them back.