The news: Costco is attracting a growing share of younger consumers, driven by organic social media buzz and a quiet embrace of influencer culture, per The Seattle Times.

While baby boomers and Gen X still make up the majority of Costco’s base, the company’s sharp value positioning and shifting marketing strategy are helping reshape its membership mix, with more than half of new members under 40, per a January 2026 report from Mizuho Financial Group.

Rather than paying influencers, Costco amplifies creator content featuring viral private-label products—like its waffle-cone cake—and new food items such as chicken strips and a pretzel bagel on Instagram, while also weaving those messages into its member publication.

Zooming out: Costco’s gains are part of a broader trend across the warehouse club sector. Rising prices—especially at the pump—have heightened consumers’ focus on value, giving clubs an opening to expand beyond their traditional older, higher-income base. A similar shift is occurring at Sam’s Club, with millennials and Gen Z accounting for half of new members.

The growth is showing up in financial results.

• Costco’s revenues rose 11.6% in its most recent quarter, with US comps (excluding fuel) up 6.8%.
• BJ’s and Sam’s Club also posted strong gains, with revenues up 9.9% and 6.1%, respectively.

Foot traffic tells the same story. Visits to BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club increased in each of the six months from November through April 2026, per Placer.ai.

Implications for retailers: Warehouse clubs’ strong merchandising and sharp focus on value are helping them win over younger shoppers. That’s a powerful formula for long-term growth: Once consumers join and get hooked, they tend to stick around.

The combination of a membership model, strong private-label offerings, and on-trend merchandising is building lifetime value across generations. Costco, in particular, shows how thoughtful product curation and organic social buzz can drive youth appeal without heavy paid media.

Go further: Read our analysis of Costco and Sam’s Club’s performance in Q1 in our Live Earnings Report: Retail & Ecommerce Tracker Q1 2026.

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