4 Major Sam’s Club Changes Coming to Stores, and How They’ll Affect You

From clean food label initiatives to high-tech checkout features, Sam’s Club is, unsurprisingly, attracting more and more shoppers from its competitors, Costco and BJ’s. The members-only club is constantly evolving and adapting to industry trends, and consumers are taking notice. Here are four major changes coming to Sam’s Clubs nationwide—including exciting news for pizza fans.

RELATED: 4 Major Costco Changes Coming to Stores, and How They’ll Affect You.

Sam’s Club is on a mission to ensure its private label Member’s Mark food and beverage products contain “simpler, more recognizable ingredients” and meet “modern consumer values,” per a press release.

The initiative was spurred by nutritional guidance and community insights, following a survey in which 72 percent of members reported being “actively seeking minimally processed foods.” And so, Sam’s Club created the “Made Without” list.

The list includes over 40 ingredients, including artificial colors, aspartame, high-fructose corn syrup, and benzyl alcohol. As of June 5, the grocer said 96 percent of its Member’s Mark food and beverage products are free of these additives. Sam’s Club expects “full achievement” by the end of 2025.

“We take pride in the high-quality ingredients that go into our products, but what truly differentiates us are the ingredients we consciously leave out,” Julie Barber, chief merchant at Sam’s Club, said in a statement. “Our ‘Made Without’ commitment underscores our aspiration to be members’ go-to destination for quality at a disruptive value.”

Sam’s Club next plans to expand its “Made Without” initiative into baby care, health, and household essentials.

Sam’s Club is growing its portfolio rapidly with the addition of cashier-less stores. With the extra floor space, members will be able to test out online-only products such as furniture and luxury jewelry, and employees will have larger fulfillment zones to complete online and pickup orders.

As Best Life previously reported, “These high-tech locations will have no checkout lanes. Instead, shoppers will need to use the retailer’s Scan & Go app to complete their purchases. Everything can be done in the palm of your hand, and theoretically, it would streamline the overall customer experience in the absence of long lines and out-of-service self-checkout kiosks. This layout will also free up more employees to help with online fulfillment for curbside pickup and home delivery.”

“It’s kind of the physical manifestation of a journey we’re trying to go on as a company,” Sam’s Club CEO Chris Nicholas told CNBC in Oct. 2024. “The idea is that over time, we will be 100 percent digital engagement as a business, and you’ve got to prove that things work before you scale them.”

Sam’s Club executives report that Scan & Go and online purchases are responsible for 40 percent of the company’s total transactions, indicating that cashier-less stores are the way of the future.

Sam’s Club intends to open 15 new, digital-first stores per year “for the foreseeable future.” Its first location opened in Dallas last year.

The goal is that “it feels like what it’s like to shop in the future,” said Nicholas.

RELATED: 10 Sam’s Club Shopping Secrets From Retail Experts.

Too lazy to cook dinner? You can now get pizza delivery through your local Sam’s Club.

“For years, members have raved about the giant, cheesy, crave-worthy pies served hot in Sam’s Club Cafés. The Member’s Mark 16″ Hot Baked Pizza became a go-to for family dinners, game-day spreads and one-swipe lunches that somehow fed the whole crew. But there’s been one consistent piece of feedback: ‘I wish I could get this delivered.’ Now, that wish is a reality,” the company said in a May press announcement.

The Member’s Mark Hot Baked Pizza costs $8.98. For an additional charge, customers can opt for Express delivery, which guarantees the pizza arrives in under three hours.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to SamsClub.com or launch the Sam’s Club app.
2. Select your Member’s Mark Hot Baked Pizza type (cheese, pepperoni, or four-meat).
3. Choose delivery and schedule your preferred delivery window/or choose Express delivery.

Sam’s Club introduced a new Grab & Go zone that’s perfect for shoppers popping in on their lunch break or craving a snack for the ride home. The section is brimming with ready-to-eat fresh deli and bakery options. Some examples include a Chicken Salad Croissant, Mediterranean Pasta Salad, and Tuxedo Bar Cake, with prices starting at $2.74.

As Best Life previously reported, “The new Grab & Go section is designed so that you can simply walk up and pick out your food items, then pay using the Scan & Go feature within the Sam’s Club app. You can even order ahead of time through the same feature, allowing you to skip the line and pick up your food even faster.”