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Did Costco's Kirkland Signature shrink?
By ShrinkRadar · Updated 2026-10-19 · Every figure comes from a sourced case
Yes. Costco own-brand packs have shrunk. We have 4 documented cases from 2009–2026 in the US, from Kirkland. The median pack lost 11.1% (a 12.5% hidden price rise per unit at the same price). The biggest cut was Kirkland fabric softener, 187 fl oz → 150 fl oz (−19.8%). Costco's store brand is Kirkland Signature.
Check any pack with the shrinkflation calculator, or compare it with the name brand in the unit price calculator.
All 4 Costco own-brand cases
Newest first. “Hidden rise” is the extra you pay per unit if the shelf price stays the same. Where the source also recorded the shelf price, the last column gives the real change per unit.
| Product | Size | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkland fabric softener Kirkland · 🇺🇸 US · 2026 | 187 fl oz → 150 fl oz | −19.8% |
| Costco-Kirkland Toilet Paper Kirkland · 🇺🇸 US · 2021 | 425 sheets → 380 sheets | −10.6% |
| Kirkland Signature (Costco) paper towels Kirkland · 🇺🇸 US · 2010 | 96.2 sq ft → 85 sq ft | −11.6% |
| Kirkland tuna (Costco) Kirkland · 🇺🇸 US · 2009 | 7 oz → 6.5 oz | −7.1% |
Costco own labels with documented cuts
How to check a Costco pack
- Read the net quantity (weight, volume, sheets or count) on the label, not the size of the box.
- Use the unit price on the shelf tag to compare the store brand with the name brand next to it. Own labels are often cheaper per unit, but a shrink can close the gap.
- Compare against an old receipt or photo if you buy the same Costco item every week.
- Report it: submit a sighting with the old and new size.
Other store brands: Aldi · Rewe · Albert Heijn · Edeka · Walmart · dm · Jumbo · Lidl · Rossmann · Woolworths. All retailers: store-brand shrinkflation. By country: United States. More: best-known examples · worst offenders · all 833 cases.
FAQ
Does Costco shrink its own-brand products?
Yes. ShrinkRadar has 4 documented cases of Costco own-brand packs getting smaller (2009–2026). The biggest: Kirkland fabric softener, 187 fl oz → 150 fl oz (−19.8%).
Which Costco products got smaller?
Most recently reported: Kirkland fabric softener: 187 fl oz → 150 fl oz (2026); Costco-Kirkland Toilet Paper: 425 sheets → 380 sheets (2021); Kirkland Signature (Costco) paper towels: 96.2 sq ft → 85 sq ft (2010); Kirkland tuna (Costco): 7 oz → 6.5 oz (2009).
How much smaller did Costco own-brand packs get?
The median documented cut is 11.1%, a 12.5% hidden price rise per unit if the shelf price stays the same. The sources did not record shelf prices for these.
Who decides the pack size of a Costco store brand?
The retailer. A store brand is made to the retailer's order and sold under its own label, so a smaller Costco own-brand pack is Costco's decision, not an outside brand's.
Who reported these Costco cases?
mouseprint.org, consumerreports.org. Each case page quotes and links its source.