If you haven't heard, Costco is aiming to bring back their iconic samples this month. Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti announced a few weeks ago that samples were set to start retuning mid-June.
Now trust me, I love samples the absolute most but I do feel slightly conflicted about Costco's decision to bring back samples so soon. It is currently late-June, and I have not heard of any Costcos (in the US) that have started to re-implement their samples.
On one side, I completely understand why Costco would want to bring samples back. Costco Samples are an iconic part of the store and its brand. I even know many people who go to Costco just for the samples. I, along with other shoppers, desperately miss devouring a smorgasbord of free food with every Costco trip.
It's also important to note that jobs that are at stake. Costco samples are handled by Club Demonstration Services (CDS)- a separate company from the Costco corporation. During the start of the pandemic, Costco relocated some of these CDS workers to sanitation jobs. By early April, Costco had suspended their relationship with the company, leading to thousands of employees being laid off, according to BuzzFeed.
Even massive companies like Costco- that have seen a surge in shoppers- are not immune to the detrimental economical effects of this pandemic. When (and if) samples are re-instated, all CDS employees will be offered their original positions and pay status. Given that the US unemployment rate is soaring, it's all the more imperative for jobs to be reinstated ASAP.
Galanti had also stated that in a post-Covid world, these samples would be handled differently.“I can't tell you anymore, but needless to say it’s not going to be where you go and just pick up an open sample with your fingers." However, I am having a hard time imagining how samples would even be possible in this current situation. Given that Costco also has a mandatory mask policy for their shoppers, there seems to be a conflict of interest.
In my opinion, the curve hasn't flattened enough to warrant all of the re-openings going on in our country right now. However, the impacts of Covid are not only physical, but also heavily economical. My heart goes out to all the CDS workers who are currently unemployed, or doing menial work- cleaning and sanitizing Costco stores.
However, I also wouldn't feel comfortable accepting samples if they do return in the next few weeks. Given that Costco is currently a hotspot for shoppers of all ages and occupations, it's incredibly easy for germs to be spread. Even though is no strong evidence of anyone catching Covid from food, it's still important for everyone to stay proactive and cautious. The mask policy was implemented so that visitors could protect themselves and others from contacting germs through the nose or mouth. In my opinion, offering samples seems incredibly counterintuitive to all the other precautions Costco has taken. I'm all for re-establishing jobs, but I am not sure if it is worth the public safety risk that the return of Costco samples would bring.
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