The U.S. fuel crisis stemming from the ongoing war in Iran has now reached the retail shelf, with Costco Wholesale (COST) nearly doubling the price of its Kirkland Signature full-synthetic motor oil from roughly $30 to $58 per 5-quart two-pack, while simultaneously capping purchases at two units per membership every seven days.
It’s an extraordinary move for a retailer whose entire brand identity rests on bulk buying at deep discounts, and it signals that severe supply chain disruptions are spreading well beyond the gasoline pump.