LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Costco has announced it will limit how much meat customers can purchase amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The store announced it will temporarily limit beef, pork and poultry products to three items per customer in an effort to ensure everyone is able to get what they need.
The company has also made changes based on public health guidelines, including requiring face coverings, using reusable shopping bags and putting restrictions on returns. The wholesale retailer is not accepting returns on specific items, including: toilet paper, bottled water, sanitizing wipes, paper towels, rice and disinfecting spray for the time being.
Face masks or coverings will also be required "at all times" in the store starting Monday, May 4. Children under age 2 and those who are unable to wear a face covering because of a medical condition will not be required to do so, Costco said.
"Costco employees are required to wear face coverings, and now we are asking that Costco members do so too. We know some members may find this inconvenient or objectionable, but under the circumstances we believe the added safety is worth any inconvenience. This is not simply a matter of personal choice; a face covering protects not just the wearer, but others too," Costco President and CEO Craig Jelinek said in a statement on the store's website.
Costco is urging customers to remain vigilant in keeping a safe social distance from others while shopping, noting that face coverings are not a "substitute for social distancing."
It also said most stores will return to regular operating hours on Monday, and it will continue offering designated shopping hours for customers over 60 and those with disabilities from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Click here to check the hours of individual Costco locations.
The has been allowing no more than two people to enter a warehouse per membership card, with Kentucky being an exception where only one person is permitted to enter the store per membership.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across the nation, Costco said it will continue upholding its "priority access" policy, which allows health care workers and first responders to move to the front of the line at any location.
Other retailers, such as Kroger, have announced similar measures.
Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. CNN and Fox News also contributed to this report.
