Costco members will have to scan membership cards upon entrance

Costco will soon require people to scan their membership cards in order to enter a warehouse store, according to the company's website.

In the coming months, card scanners will be installed at the store entrances. Once activated, members will be required to scan their physical or digital membership card before entering. 

Guests will be required to be accompanied by a valid member for entry. 

If someone tries to enter a Costco store with an inactive or expired membership, attendants will be stationed at the front entrance and ask people to renew their account. People who have a membership card without a photo on it may be asked to show a valid photo ID. 

Costco, the third-largest retailer in the U.S. by sales volume, sells items in bulk and relies on a membership structure to keep costs down for shoppers, a press release said. Last year, stores began to crack down on unauthorized card-sharing, getting stricter about asking to see shoppers' membership cards with their photo at self-checkout.

The move to require people to scan membership cards comes after the company announced it would increase the price of memberships. For more details, visit our news partners at KREM2 News.