Costco is ramping up efforts to curb unauthorized use of membership cards by testing a new scanning system in several Canadian cities. The initiative, which requires members to scan their digital or physical membership cards at store entrances, is being rolled out in Ottawa, Edmonton, Regina, and B.C.’s Lower Mainland.
This move follows the company’s announcement of an upcoming membership fee increase set for September 1, 2024. Regular memberships will rise from $60 to $65 annually, while executive memberships will jump from $120 to $130, with the maximum annual reward also increasing.
Costco’s crackdown on membership sharing is part of a broader trend among companies with membership-based services, mirroring actions taken by Netflix and Disney+ to enforce stricter access controls.
