7 ways the coronavirus has changed Costco

• Shopping at Costco has changed on a number of levels since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
• The warehouse chain has had to scrap some signature elements of its shopping experience, like free samples and half-sheet cakes in the bakery section.
• Members have also had a major shift in priorities thanks to COVID-19, including adopting a renewed focus on food.

Like most major retailers, Costco has weathered a number of major changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Costco reported that COVID-19 has been "adversely affecting our business, financial condition, and results of operations," according to a quarterly Securities and Exchange Commission report released in May.

Costco listed "business operations, demand for our products and services, costs of doing business, availability of labor, access to inventory, supply chain operations, our ability to predict future performance, exposure to litigation, and our financial performance" as subject to sudden change.

Many of those shifts occurred behind the scenes. But other notable changes have been apparent to shoppers and employees alike.

Members have been required to wear masks while shopping in Costco warehouses since May. CEO Craig Jelinek posted a statement on the chain's website saying that wearing "a face covering protects not just the wearer, but others too."

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Employees at some warehouses receive two disposable medical masks on each shift, a Costco worker of three years told Business Insider.

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The coronavirus has changed the way people work at Costco. To enforce social distancing inside and outside of warehouses, many employees rely on a maze of signs, floor stickers, and even pallets, a worker from Ontario told Business Insider.

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And workplace changes haven't exclusively come about within the warehouses. Most Costco corporate and regional office workers are "working remotely due to COVID-19," according to a SEC filing from the chain.

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Source: Costco

A number of classic Costco warehouse experiences have also been disrupted or done away with thanks to the pandemic. In the United States, the warehouse chain has pulled the plug on half-sheet cakes. Costco told Business Insider that there are no plans to reintroduce the popular bakery item.

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Costco warehouses have also put a stop to the chain's famous free sample give-aways over health concerns. Many of the third-party Club Demonstration Services workers have instead been tasked with sanitizing the warehouses.

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For a time, Costco's famous food court allowed only takeout orders. Now, warehouses around the world have resumed operations with a limited menu.

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And the pandemic has changed the way members shop at Costco. A SEC filing from the warehouse said that, over the course of the spring, consumers ditched categories like apparel in favor of essentials like food.

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Source: Costco