4 Costco Products That Seem to Be Shrinking

The product recommendations in this post are recommendations by the writer and/or expert(s) interviewed and do not contain affiliate links. Meaning: If you use these links to buy something, we will not earn a commission.

Costco shoppers are an astute bunch. You can always count on passionate Costco fans to spot cool news items hitting shelves and alert the masses on social media. You can also count on Costco shoppers to take notice when something about a popular product has changed—and perhaps not for the better.

For example, Costco shoppers are quick to notice whenever a certain product has decreased in size or volume. They pointed it out when Costco's Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue went from 425 to 380 sheets per roll and the food court Chicken Bake suddenly got smaller a couple of years ago. While it's always helpful to know when a product you frequently use has gotten smaller, size changes are especially important to look out for nowadays because of "shrinkflation." This increasingly common phenomenon is when a company decreases the size of a product without lowering the price as well, forcing shoppers to pay more of their hard-earned dollars for less.

Now, just because a Costco product is smaller doesn't necessarily mean the retailer or brands it sells are guilty of shrinkflation. Prices can vary depending on the Costco location, so we can't confirm if items that are smaller now cost the same or more across the board. Still, knowing which products have gotten smaller can help cost-conscious customers make sure they're getting the absolute best deals on those products.

Here are four Costco products that customers say have gotten smaller recently.

Crest Toothpaste

One Crest toothpaste variety has featured a little more air and a little less of the actual product lately, according to one Costco-loving sleuth.

This warehouse customer shared photos on the Costco Reddit page recently, showing old and new tubes of Crest 3D White Advanced Toothpaste. The old tubes included six ounces of toothpaste, while the new tubes included 5.2 ounces of toothpaste, the photos show.

Indeed, the Crest tubes listed for sale on Costco's website right now only have 5.2 ounces. This means that customers who purchase them will have roughly a seventh less of the product per tube.

"Noticed a few months ago the new tubes felt like they were filled with a bunch of air. Sure enough, found an old tube and they reduced it from 6 oz to 5.2 oz. Same packaging," the customer wrote.

15 Costco Items You're Crazy Not to Buy for Back To School

Kirkland Signature Organic Medium Salsa

Costco shoppers noticed when the retailer switched its Kirkland Signature Organic Medium Salsa from plastic jars to glass jars a few months ago—but that wasn't the only change they spotted with the popular product.

An observant customer took to Reddit to share a side-by-side photo of an old plastic container of the Costco salsa and a new glass container. The old container weighed 38 ounces, while the new container weighed 35 oz., so customers are now getting three fewer ounces per jar.

Even though the containers now technically come with less product, many members said they actually didn't mind the change because they prefer the glass jars.

"Salsa should always come in a glass jar," one commented.

Scott Shop Towels

Scott Shop Towels are absorbent, water resistant, and—lately—a little on the slim side, according to a Costco customer.

This customer shared a side-by-side photo of old and new rolls of Scott Shop Towels on Reddit a couple of months back, showing that the older rolls boasted 43.6 square feet and newer rolls boasted 39.5 square feet. This breaks down to about four fewer square feet per roll, a difference that could add up over time for people who want to make sure they're getting the most out of their grocery purchases.

Dove Body Wash

If you've been running out of your Dove soap a little faster than usual lately, shoppers may have uncovered the reason why. Bottles of Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, which are sold in three-packs at Costco, have apparently decreased in volume from 24 ounces to 23 ounces. A Redditor discovered the change and alerted fellow consumers last month, sharing pictures of the old and new bottles to back up the discovery.

Another shopper discovered the exact same change on another Dove soap variety for sensitive skin and shared their findings on Reddit a little over a week ago. While one less ounce per bottle may not seem like all that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, it's still important to consider when you're buying the multi-pack or bulk products that Costco is known for.