Costco Just Put a Purchase Limit on These Popular Grocery Items

America's largest grocery warehouse chain is a busy place as shoppers stock up on back-to-school items and household essentials amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases. At the same time, Costco is placing purchase limits on popular grocery items in order to keep its inventory in check.

We all remember purchase limits from the beginning of the pandemic when supplies of toilet paper and disinfecting wipes were scarce. Now, there are hundreds of items on Costco's product limitations list thanks to its Member's Only Savings event taking place through Aug. 29.

Below are four items with purchase limits that you should know about right now. And before your next trip to your local warehouse, don't forget to check out the Popular Costco Foods That Are Making You Gain Weight, Say Dietitians.

Water

Members recently spotted signs detailing a water shortage at some Costco warehouses. "We are currently out of water," one sign read. "There is not yet an ETA for our next delivery. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Another sign said customers could only purchase five cases of any brand of water. While the reasoning behind the issue isn't known—Costco earlier declined a request for comment from Eat This, Not That!—some members place the blame on missed deliveries and a Kirkland water bottling plant being shut down.

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Chocolate Premier Protein Shakes

Premier 30g Protein PLUS Energy and Immune Support Shakes — Courtesy of Costco

One package of these shakes contains 18 beverages, as well as a grand total of 540 grams of protein. Should you want to stock up, know that a purchase limit of four packages per trip is in place—and that includes both in-warehouse and online purchases.

A Reddit user pointed out the limit on the shakes, which are currently $7 off until Aug. 29. It isn't rare for Costco to place restrictions on sale items so that every member can take advantage of a deal. However, some commenters in the thread appeared to have a few tricks up their sleeves:

"Generally it's a limit per store visit/transaction. If you wanted you could go put your 4 in your car, come back in and get 4 more the same day," one said. "Since there's a chance some of the policies have changed, you'll always have the option to double check you're getting the sale price before you pay, especially if using the self checkout."

Another user noted a flaw in this plan:

"Actually it's limit per membership for the duration of the promo. If you go back in and get a few more they probably won't make a fuss, but if it's frequent enough that they remember you then the policy may be enforced," they said.

In the end, make sure to spread your purchases out if you do try to take advantage of this deal more than once.

Kirkland Signature Diapers

Boxes of nearly 200 Kirkland Signature Diapers are also on sale for $9 off through Aug. 29, but only two can be purchased at a time online. Reddit user @boilerup35, who spotted this purchase limit in early August, mentioned that they wanted to stock up until the next sale—especially while shipping is free—and would rather not go to the warehouse multiple times. However, another user said the discount was removed when they attempted to buy two additional boxes.

Peet's Coffee

Costco members love their coffee, and the Peet's option is a hot commodity. It's currently on sale for $11.99, but only five of the 2-pound bags can be purchased at a time, Reddit user @Automatic-Hour-9299 alerted others on the popular social media site.

Other beloved items in the Members Only Savings event taking place through Aug. 29 include batteries, cereal, electronics, glasses, mattresses, mayonnaise, razors, and snacks. Some products have purchase limits ranging in quantities from two to 10 items per member. For a full list, visit Costco's website.

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