Here's What Happens When You Return Spoiled Food to Costco

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One thing that makes Costco so great is its commitment to customer service. Costco stands behind every item it sells, and it also stands behind the value its memberships offer. If you have a good reason to take back an item you've purchased, you can generally get a full refund with limited exceptions. You can even cancel your Costco membership and get a full refund for it if you decide it's not working out for you.

As you might imagine, Costco will make things right if you buy food that spoils before its sell-by or best-by date. But the way the store's policy works may surprise you -- in a good way.

Costco doesn't give partial refunds

If you return spoiled food to Costco that's gone bad before its best-by or sell-by date, then you'll generally be entitled to a full refund. All you need to do is bring the item back.

And the best part? Even if that food is partially eaten, if a portion of it has gone bad before its sell-by or best-by date, Costco will give you a full refund.

This has happened to me on more than one occasion. Once, I bought a two-pack of feta cheese and ate the first pack with no issue. The second pack developed mold despite being sealed in my fridge, so I took it back to Costco about three weeks before its sell-by date and asked for a 50% refund.

What the customer service person then did surprised me. They didn't give me a partial refund -- they gave me a full refund.

I was told Costco doesn't do partial refunds in situations like that. You're entitled to all of your money back if your item goes bad before it should, even if you've already eaten a part of it.

To be clear, Costco's generosity applies in situations where you're bringing back spoiled food before the date printed on it. If you buy milk with a sell-by date of June 14, don't expect to get a refund if you attempt to return a carton of clumpy liquid on June 24. That's well beyond when milk with a sell-by date of June 14 will typically last.

Be careful about buying food in bulk -- especially perishables

Clearly, Costco will make things right if you buy food that spoils before it should. And if you don't have your receipt, worry not -- Costco can look up the item based on your membership number and refund you the money.

But when you buy groceries in bulk -- especially perishable items like produce and dairy products -- you risk having it go bad before you finish it. To avoid wasting money:

• Limit your bulk perishable purchases at Costco to items you consume regularly.
• Pay attention to expiration dates, in case they're not far out enough to give you time to use up your food.
• Ask friends or neighbors to split bulk purchases with you, so you can both benefit from the lower price per ounce or unit without risking spoilage.
• Check the temperature of your fridge to make sure it's cooling at an optimal level. The USDA recommends a fridge temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. A newer fridge may give you a reading on its display. For an older one, Amazon sells cheap digital thermometers for under $10.

Costco is more than fair when it comes to refunding customers for spoiled food. So if you buy something from Costco that goes bad ahead of its best-by or sell-by date, don't hesitate to bring it back.

Also, if you can't get back to the store in time, take a picture of the mold or spoilage so it's date-stamped. This way, if, say, your strawberries with a sell-by date of June 15 are moldy by June 13 but you can't get back to Costco until June 16, you have the proof you need for a refund. This method has worked for me on multiple occasions, and it's yet another example of how fair Costco is with its refund policy.

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