How Costco Solved The Most Frustrating Thing About Its Chicken Breasts

Remember when Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal said he would kill anyone that raised the price of the famous hot dog and soda combo? This charming and slightly concerning anecdote illustrates what Costco members already know: The store seems to take feedback from its customers seriously. When it comes to the chain's Kirkland Signature fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts, shoppers have griped for years that the packaging was downright unacceptable, both from a convenience and sanitary perspective. Well, it appears that Costco heeded this criticism, at least according to a recent Instagram clip from Austin Dickinson. The short video presented the updated product packaging, highlighting new perforations between the individual breasts.

While a Redditor previously advocated using a knife or some other sharp instrument to cut the packages, some members weren't having it. As one commenter replied, "It's not hard, it's annoying." Inconvenience aside, Costco customers may be hoping that the packaging updates another major issue; namely, its propensity for leakage. Elsewhere on Reddit, a poster complained about "how many of these chicken packs are poorly sealed," and other commenters shared their own tales of woe. "Sometimes the goo leaks out before you even cut the damn things," a shopper said, "It's so gross." Another Costco member discovered that the faulty packaging led to one breast becoming unsealed and leaking all of its juice on the car ride home. "So had to throw ⅙ of it out," the frustrated customer declared. 

When it comes to unsavory factors impacting grocery store chicken, consumers may be shocked to learn that approximately 30% of chicken found inside stores contain harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella (as reported by HuffPost). That makes leaking bags of Kirkland Signature chicken breasts not just annoying, but also potentially dangerous. For instance, E. coli and salmonella infections can cause unpleasant health effects like diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. And when chicken juices get splattered around your kitchen, cross-contamination is a major risk. 

Costco's newly perforated chicken bags stop shoppers from accidentally cutting into them, but is the packaging upgrade any better about general leakage? Unfortunately, that's not entirely clear, but Costco describes the product as such on its website: "Tear-off Pouches; Vacuum Packed and Leak Resistant." That hopefully means no more leaking bags, but you can always contact the store if you're unhappy with your purchase. Remember that while there are some returns Costco will not accept, faulty products (and packaging) are fair game.