Before You Bring Your Own Bags To Costco Make Sure You Know This Important Rule

Shoppers have been bringing their own bags to stores like Costco for years. Yet, despite the ubiquity of these reusable grocery and tote bags, some customers may not be aware of certain policies concerning bags they bring from home. According to Costco, its membership privileges and conditions specify that "Costco reserves the right to inspect any container, backpack, briefcase, or other bag, upon entering or leaving the warehouse and to refuse entry to anyone at our discretion."

Costco customarily inspects visitors' carts and receipts on their way out, officially to make sure that they were correctly charged for everything. But this also guards against shoplifting, which is likely the intention behind the bag policy, as well.

It doesn't just cover reusable grocery bags, either. Costco customers have reported having their personal bags — including purses, backpacks, and even diaper bags — inspected when exiting the store, regardless of whether or not they used them to shop.

Unlike many grocery stores, Costco doesn't have any shopping bags available at checkout. The reason is simple: Shopping bags cost money for Costco, which tries to keep operating costs low, which in turn helps keep prices low for customers.

The bulk shopping nature of Costco also means that many items are simply too big for typical plastic (or even reusable) bags. However, Costco does usually have boxes available after checkout to help with organizing purchases.

The boxing area near the exit would be the best place for you to bag your items. Costco typically will not bag them for you. (You can buy yourself more time and space to pack your reusable bags if you do your Costco run during a big sports game, which tends to be a less busy time at the discount chain.) There are a bunch of common mistakes that can derail a Costco trip, like shopping when hungry or without a membership, so don't add a bag policy freak-out to the list.