Costco's Kirkland Water Bottles Got A Makeover At Some Locations, And Customers Are Over The Moon

Costco just took a huge step towards making its bottled water more eco-friendly and sustainable. Certain warehouse locations are now stocking 40-packs of Kirkland Signature bottled water without labels on the bottle. This label-less water reportedly reduces plastic waste and may even make the bottles more easily recyclable. The change also eliminates the need for certain production measures, which in turn may reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The label-less bottles are available in a 40-pack for around $3.99 to $5.99, which is roughly the same price the water was before the packaging change. The Kirkland Signature logo is embossed on the plastic in lieu of a label, giving the bottles a luxe appearance, almost like glass. Naturally, when Costco fan account @costcohype posted a video of the product on both Instagram and Facebook, folks online were over the moon about the packaging change for a variety of reasons.

"That little bit less waste will add up quickly considering how much water Costco sells," one Facebook commenter noted.  Another agreed, adding that there is "no need for labels" anyway. Likewise, Instagrammers pointed out that eliminating the labels makes the bottles more customizable if businesses wish to offer them to their own customers. "This is perfect for me," one user explained. "I put my spa labels on them to give to my clients." What's more is that the bottle quality seems to have improved as well, with some customers noting that the plastic is thicker.

The newly packaged Kirkland brand water still tastes the same, but the bottles are constructed from a thicker plastic to accommodate the embossing. They may be more easily recycled as consumers and facilities will no longer have to remove the label. However, the thicker plastic may make the plastic bottles even less biodegradable, essentially negating any environmental benefits obtained by getting rid of the labels.

Some worry that thicker plastic means a greater risk of microplastics in the bottled water or that the label-less bottles may not be accepted by all recycling centers. As one Instagram user noted, "I had a recycle place tell me they couldn't accept unlabeled water bottles that didn't specify recycling redemption requirements on the label." On Facebook, some expressed doubts about the sustainability of the change and the overall cost benefit to customers despite the "nicer feel," adding that these thicker bottles will likely "require more plastic to produce."

Although the lack of a label cuts down Costco's printing costs while benefitting the brand, the change is arguably producing more plastic altogether. Plenty online have pointed out that those who are eco-conscious will likely avoid plastic bottles entirely anyway. Of course, if you do rely on plastic bottles, a label-less product is still better than the alternative. You can also reuse empty plastic water bottles in your garden rather than tossing them — and now you won't have to remove that pesky label!