Costco Crackdown: Stores Across Southland Place Limit On Essential Items To Curb Coronavirus Panic Buying

CHINO HILLS (CBSLA) — A sign outside a Chino Hills Costco alerts shoppers that they are out of 13 essential hygiene and food items.

For the past week, it has been hard to find items like water and toilet paper at any store across Southern California. That’s why the company is cracking down on panic buying amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While shopping carts are still stacked high at Costco stores across the Southland, customers say buying in bulk during the COVID-19 outbreak is starting to run a bit smoother.

“This was my second time coming within the last few hours,” said customer Sheryl Caline, adding that she came back to stock up for her family. “I had to call my sister, see what she needed.”

In Montclair, they’re using pallets, traffic cones, and construction netting to line people up outside and control the crowds inside the store.

Costco stores are also limiting the amount of essential items customers can purchase and prohibiting the return of recently hoarded items, including toilet paper, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, water, rice, and Lysol.

“They shouldn’t take returns!” Caline said. “[Those customers] overbought.”

Robert and Tina Kinder, two more Costco customers, said they feel like stricter rules earlier on would have significantly eased the transition into this pandemic.

“It kinda puts them in their place,” Tina said of the new rules. “Like, you can’t be doing that! Taking advantage of people during a national crisis.”

They say that all will work out if we look out for one another and respect the new rules, like the stay-at-home orders issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday, during this uncertain time.

“I think it’s just important to do family time right now. stay home,” Robert said.

Visited Costco in Northern Virginia this morning. I had to wait in line to get in, the store was limiting the number inside, and only using every other register for distancing. I was in line for about a half hour to get in the store, I was more curious than anything.

High demand items were limited. I picked up my rations of one 30-roll pack of Charmin (now I'm good for most of the rest of this year, but I'll probably end up sharing or trading with my network of family and friends who have extras of other stuff), one gallon of milk, four cases of water, and a few other things. No paper towels or disinfecting wipes in stock. All kinds of fresh produce (no bananas, lots of apples). A workable selection of meats. I'm trying KS Angus patties for my beef protein. I didn't notice if eggs were available. In an out in two hours, including waiting to get in, only because I was taking the scenic route around the store.

The worst thing I saw was a couple of guys doing a fast walk back to either the water or TP, but not being rude about it. Overall a pleasant shopping experience, if for no other reason the limited number of people in the store.

On Tues or Wed, I heard Costco was limiting TP to 2 packages - WHO needs 2 of THAT SIZE at home? They should’ve limited to 1.

I hear you. I wish Walmart would do the same but not only on TP either. I still can't find a loaf of bread even as late as 7pm last evening.

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