Diaper Drama: Costco’s Response to Consumer Backlash
If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my short tenure as a mom (and thus a person who is frequently served mom content by the algorithm), it’s this:
Don’t mess with moms’ favorite products. Don’t change them. Don’t discontinue them. Don’t even breathe near them.
Costco’s Kirkland Signature diapers are a staple in many households—mine included. They’re affordable, high-quality, and often the reason families justify the membership fee. They’ve built a bit of a cult following in the mom community.
In January 2025, though, Costco announced they’d be switching diaper manufacturers—from Kimberly-Clark Corporation (maker of Huggies) to First Quality, the maker of Cuties diapers.
The switch came after Kimberly-Clark began stepping away from white-labeling their products, which offer lower profit margins, to focus more on their premium brands. That led Costco with the need to find an alternate product for their members.
Moms panicked. Social media flooded with reviews criticizing the new diapers for being noticeably thinner. The primary concern? Absorbency.
Comments echoed the sentiment, and moms began trading recommendations for alternative brands.
Parents rushed to Costco to stockpile the old version before it disappeared from shelves (it’s me, hi, I’m one of those parents).
But ultimately, since Costco didn’t initiate the need for a new manufacturer, there wasn’t much recourse. Parents had two options: suck it up or switch to a likely more expensive brand.
Costco’s communications team clearly caught wind of the backlash. On my most recent trip, a sign was posted above the new diaper stock:
The signage acknowledged the most common concern: yes, the diapers are thinner—but intentionally so. It emphasized that the new design maintains the same absorbency and leak protection while using fewer materials, making them more efficient and environmentally friendly. It also addressed other negative reviews on the new features. The sign further explained that the change allows Costco to offer a lower price per diaper, passing savings on to families.
A QR code on the sign linked to a detailed landing page with additional information, side-by-side comparisons, and FAQs to address parents’ concerns directly.
What can we learn from the response?
Acknowledge concerns directly.
Costco didn’t ignore the main complaint—thinner diapers. They addressed it upfront and explained the intentional design difference. Their side-by-side comparison of benefits helped their audience understand that yes, the diapers are different, but that doesn’t mean they are worse.
Frame the change as a benefit.
Instead of justifying the switch, they emphasized the lower price per diaper as a win for families.
Be present where the conversation is happening.
Even though the backlash started online, Costco responded in-store—meeting parents at the point of decision.
If a family had been swayed by the online conversation, the sign provided a counternarrative to combat those facts.
If a family hadn’t heard any of the buzz, the sign is still a win. It provides some education on the change – getting ahead of any shock when parents open the box and find a different product than they are used to.
Use multiple formats to educate.
The sign provided a high-level overview. For the parents who like to dig deep, an in-depth landing page provides a wealth of information.
Could some of this messaging have been rolled out earlier? Probably. But hindsight is 20/20, and Costco may not have anticipated just how attached moms are to certain products.
Will it be enough to turn the tide? Time will tell—but our family was swayed to give the new version a shot.