Criticism for Costco customers taking advantage of a loophole by purchasing large quantities of eggs: Described as self-centered.

A Costo customer has sparked outrage after abusing the retailer’s famously generous returns policy. 

America’s largest membership retailer has a history of shoppers returning old sofas and even televisions bought as far back as 2002, a practice that has generated both mockery and occasional applause.

However, the recent situation involving customers who bought thousands of eggs during a nationwide shortage, only to attempt returning them upon finding a better deal, has sparked widespread criticism.

An Instagram video shows an entire flatbed cart filled with eggs that is being returned. 

An Instagram caption highlighted the issue, stating, ‘People are trying to return over a thousand eggs a day later because they discovered a cheaper option elsewhere.’

‘Meanwhile, we’re in a nationwide egg shortage.’

Viewers of the video weighed in. ‘Selfish, selfish people,’ one commenter said. ‘Just ridiculous.’ 

A deadly strain of bird flu has devastated American poultry farms, disrupting egg supply chains.  

An Instagram video showed customers attempting to return a flat of eggs – the poster estimated there were ‘thousands’ of eggs in the return order

The disease is not currently passing to humans in significant numbers. But it is making customers pay more at checkout.  

Official figures show the average price of a dozen eggs hit $4.95 in January — nearly double the cost from a year earlier. 

In some states with a higher cost of living, a carton can cost as much as $10.

Is it the chicken or the egg? 

Several customers complained about Costco’s return policies in response to the Instagram video. 

The chain carries a robust return policy that allows customers to bring thousands of items back to the store for a refund – including food items. 

The company calls it their ‘Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.’ 

However, the company empowers its sales managers to apply exceptions if food products are returned in unsavory states.  

Meanwhile, food regulators typically do not allow stores to remerchandise returned food product. It is unlikely Costco attempted to sell the eggs if it accepted them. 

Costco has a robust return policy, including food – however, customers shouldn’t worry about eating returned grocery items

 Still, commenters were squeamish at the thought of eating unrefrigerated eggs. 

‘Eww,’ one commenter said. ‘I don’t want to buy returned eggs.’

Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Scrambling customers 

To maintain supply levels, dozens of American grocery chains have introduced purchase limits on eggs. 

In early February, Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s all capped the number of egg cartons people can buy. 

Costco only lets customers buy three packages a day.

Before the limits, some customers encountered in-store pandemonium.  

The Instagram video comes less than two weeks after social media posts showed customers running through the membership only store locations to grab as many eggs as possible. 

Hundreds of Costco shoppers have flocked to stores after the chain announced purchasing limits for eggs

Some clips showed shoppers rushing out of the store, clearing the stock in ‘less than 10 minutes.’ 

Other customers are taking other drastic measures to get their hands on the breakfast protein, like crossing borders to do their grocery shopping. 

Crossing the U.S. border with raw eggs is illegal. 

‘Importation of raw/fresh eggs from Mexico into United States is generally prohibited due to concerns about diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Virulent Newcastle disease,’ CBP Public Affairs Specialist John B. Mennell previously told Dailymail.com.