Costco Under Fire for Plan to Pass Green Energy Costs on to Customers

Costco had a shareholders meeting Thursday in Bellevue, WA, and was facing some hard questions.

The National Center for Public Policy Research, a leading independent consumer watchdog and think tank, was present at the Costco shareholders meeting. They pressed the retail giant on some controversial financial moves that could result in higher costs for not only consumers, but its suppliers.

Costco is a member of the the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). This is one of the largest trade organizations in the world, and acts as a liaison between thousands of companies and the government. Recently, RILA adopted a number of green energy and sustainability policies that could pass costs onto consumers even though studies show Costco clients don't want anything to do with these wasteful and unneeded ideas.

These policies include greenhouse gas programs, waste and recycle ideas and renewable energy programs. In short, Costco is heeding the RILA push for this green movement even if it means raising prices for consumers.

Justin Danhoff, director of the National Center for Public Policy Free Enterprise Project said Thursday:

Congress and President Barack Obama just raised taxes on working-class Americans, unemployment and underemployment remain historically high and household wealth is being destroyed more and more every day. Now, Costco and RILA are asking consumers to pay more to fund an absurd environmental folly. The company's leadership is sorely out of touch with the American people.

Danhoff presented Costco officials with the results of several surveys conducted by the NCPP on the matter:

'More than half - exactly 52 percent - of those surveyed said they would not spend a single penny more for retail products so that retailers such as Costco could meet so-called sustainability standards. Additionally, 56 percent of Americans said it was unfair of retailers to ask consumers to foot the bill for this green agenda,' said Danhof.

Some of the RILA sustainability programs have been tied to, or inspired by, the United Nations' Agenda 21 projects you've heard Glenn Beck talking about on Newstalk 870.