Here's Why Costco Changed Its Rotisserie Chicken Packaging

Costco's rotisserie chicken is a deal loved by meal preppers, busy families in need of an easy weeknight dinner, and pretty much anyone who eats chicken and has a membership to the warehouse chain. But before this beloved roasted poultry came in an easy to carry bag with a handle, it was packaged in a large plastic clamshell container. 

Costco changed its packaging for the chicken earlier this year in an effort to cut down on its environmental impact, plastic use, and costs. The rotisserie chicken, sold for $5, is a bargain for customers, but it actually costs the company $40 million a year in gross revenue. Demand for them is so high Costco even opened a new chicken plant to keep up.

Like many other brands attempting to become more environmentally friendly in their operations, Costco set out new guidelines for packaging back in July 2023. The guidelines ask questions like, "Can less packaging be used?" or "Is the label clear about how consumers should dispose of the vessel?" And though the changes to the rotisserie chicken do fall in line with these guidelines, as with any change, there's bound to be some negative feedback.

According to CBS News, the plastic bags now used to hold Costco's rotisserie chickens use 75% less plastic than the previous domed packaging. This saves around 17 million pounds of plastic waste per year and requires fewer freight trucks for transport of packing materials, which reduces its carbon emissions by 4,000 metric tons a year.

All of this is positive change when it comes to being friendlier to the environment, but some customers have had a not-so-enthusiastic reaction to the change. Many have complained about the bags leaking juice and grease and miss the old package's ability to use the container like a plate. On the other hand, some have said the packaging fits in their refrigerators better and praised the brand for its efforts to protect the planet.

While Costco is making efforts to reduce its environmental impact through the packaging of its rotisserie chicken, some argue it still has room for improvement in terms of animal welfare related to its chicken production. In 2022, Costco faced a lawsuit from animal rights activists claiming the chain did not provide adequate veterinary care for its rotisserie-bound chickens and that Costco allegedly uses inexperienced farmers who allow the chickens to live in overcrowded, filthy conditions.