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Best value
Cotco doesn't rank products. It ranks units.
There is no universal 'best value' item — there is a measurement that decides value in each category, and most shelf tags use the wrong one. This is that map.
| Category | Unit that decides value | What fools people | Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pantry staples | Price per 100 g or per kilogram | Shelf tags mixing weight and volume; mid-size packages that quietly shrank. | Unit price → |
| Fresh food and dairy | Price per usable gram after waste | Large formats that expire before you finish them — waste flips the math fast. | Bulk break-even → |
| Paper goods | Price per square foot, not per sheet or roll | "Mega" rolls with fewer, larger sheets priced against standard sheet counts. | Unit price → |
| Household chemicals | Price per prepared use, after dilution | Concentrates priced per bottle look expensive until you divide by loads or litres. | Cost per use → |
| Appliances and tools | Cost per use, net of resale and upkeep | Consumables and repairs that outweigh the purchase price over the ownership period. | Cost per use → |
| Warehouse memberships | Annual spend needed to clear the fee | Savings rates assumed rather than measured against your real basket size. | Membership break-even → |
Cotco publishes no product rankings, scores, or reviews. Use these units with the current prices in front of you — a value judgement made without today's price is a guess.