Families are up in arms after Costco switched diaper manufacturers. They fear the diapers will be of worse quality and cause rashes.
Babies go through dozens of diapers a week. That’s not only a lot of diaper changes but a lot of money spent on baby waste management. It’s no wonder parents are eager to stick to a diaper brand that is affordable but maintains a high-quality standard.
A 192-pack of size 1 Kirkland diapers is $42, while a 168-pack of Huggies in the same size is $46.
Kirkland diapers are among the most popular brands, with one in six parents using Costco diapers, according to a 2023 study of 2,000 parents done by What to Expect’s parent company, Everyday Health Group.
Late last year, Bloomberg reported that Costco was switching manufacturers for its Kirkland Signature diapers, going from Kimberly-Clark Corp., which makes Huggies-brand diapers, to First Quality, which makes Cuties-brand diapers.
Some parents say it’s the wrong move.
Parent calls out Costco for diaper change
In a viral video with more than 420,000 views, mom Krissy May (@xkrissymayx) shared her experience with the new Costco diapers that hit the sales floor in January.
“My daughter started to complain about itchiness down there,” Krissy May shared.
She immediately started Googling what could cause this discomfort and had a light bulb moment—Kirkland switched manufacturers.
Testing out a theory, Krissy May picked up Huggies brand diapers to see if it made a difference, and surely it made a difference.
“Ever since she started wearing these again, she has not complained about itchiness,” Krissy May noted.
Natalia Richer, personal hygiene products expert and the director of business development at Diaper Testing International told What to Expect that both manufacturers are capable of providing the same level of absorbency.
Instead, her concern with the manufacturer switch is the shape and comfort of the diapers. Kirkland diapers were curved and rounded, making them more breathable and comfortable for the baby and easier for parents to put on.
“First Quality will unlikely be able to deliver the same curved chassis design that is so iconic to Huggies products,” Richer said.
Why the switch?
Costco apparently wants to move away from pushing its more affordable private brand, aka Kirkland Signature, in favor of name brands.
The reason comes down to money; of course, Kirkland products, while a fan favorite and a necessary choice for families on a budget are less profitable, Bloomberg reported.
In 2024, Costco CEO Mike Hsu said he expected the company’s private label sales to represent 2% of 2025 sales, down from 4% in 2024, an industry magazine reported.
How many diapers does a baby need?
A whole lot. Babies, especially newborns, soil their diapers every few hours, so parents tend to stock up on this essential supply.
If you choose to go the disposable diaper route (instead of reusable cloth ones), you may easily go through about 3,000 of them in just the first year, Healthline reported.
As the baby gets older, they tend to need fewer diapers, with newborns going through eight to twelve a day and a two-year-old needing half and five to seven a day.
Still, in the first year of a child’s life, families tend to spend about $936 a year on disposable diapers—that number has likely increased due to inflation.
Viewers are upset by the news
“My baby got a bad rash from the new Kirkland diapers,” a top comment read.
“My baby broke out from Kirkland diapers too. When you feel the diaper, you can feel a lot of bumps. I can’t imagine feeling that 24/7 on my private parts,” a person added.
“They also changed their toilet paper too. Same thing is happening to adults,” a commenter shared.
“This makes sense why my daughter has been getting rashes even though we change her diaper regularly!” another said.
@xkrissymayx We are an @Huggies® diaper stand in this house #costco #kirkland #kirklandsfinds #costcofinds #momlife #momsoftiktok #momtok #toddlersoftiktok #sahm #costcotiktok #kirklanddiapers ♬ original sound – KrissyMay
The Daily Dot reached out to Krissy May for comment via TikTok direct messages and comment and to Costco via email.
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