The Warehouse Showdown Every Conservative Shopper Needs to See
You've been standing in that parking lot, membership card in hand, wondering: should I be shopping here? When it comes to buying in bulk, two giants dominate — Costco and Sam's Club. Both promise savings, hot dogs, and rotisserie chickens. But only one has been actively fighting to keep woke ideology at the center of their corporate mission. The other? Well, they actually listened.
Here's the breakdown conservative shoppers have been waiting for.
The Scores Are In — And They Tell a Story
According to the Buy Woke Free database, Costco Wholesale holds a woke score of 45 out of 100 — rated "Woke" — while Walmart (Sam's Club's parent company) earned a staggering 90 out of 100, categorized as "Extremely Woke." Those scores, however, reflect history — and history doesn't tell the whole story right now.
Walmart's sky-high score reflects years of aggressive woke corporate activism: a $100 million commitment to racial equity, perfect scores on the HRC's Corporate Equality Index for six straight years, dozens of Pride event sponsorships, and DEI programs embedded into every layer of the company. But in late 2024, under pressure from conservative activist Robby Starbuck and a growing consumer backlash, Walmart did something rare in corporate America — it actually backed down.
Costco? They looked at that same pressure and doubled down.
Costco: Defiance Over Customers
When a shareholder proposal was brought before Costco's board asking it to simply report on the risks of its DEI programs, the board didn't just reject it — they actively campaigned against it. Rather than consider whether DEI hiring practices might expose the company to legal liability or alienate customers, Costco's leadership told shareholders to look the other way.
The blowback was swift. Nineteen state attorneys general sent Costco a formal notice warning that its DEI programs may constitute illegal discrimination. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called on Costco directly to "end woke DEI practices and unlawful discrimination." Iowa's AG issued a similar warning. Costco's response? Silence — and a reaffirmation of their commitment to DEI.
Meanwhile, a vocal "Buy-cott" movement formed around Costco — but not the kind you want. Left-leaning consumers organized to specifically spend more at Costco because of its DEI stance. When the other side is celebrating your corporate values, that's a red flag.
Sam's Club / Walmart: Actions Speak Louder
Walmart's DEI rollback in late 2024 was one of the most significant corporate capitulations in the anti-woke movement. Here's what they actually did:
- Ended the Center for Racial Equity — a $100 million fund established after George Floyd's death
- Withdrew from the HRC Corporate Equality Index — after earning perfect scores for years
- Scaled back Pride event sponsorships across the country
- Ended supplier diversity mandates tied to race-based criteria
- Halted DEI-centered racial equity training programs
None of this happened by accident. Conservative consumers and activists made it happen. And unlike other companies that quietly rebranded their DEI programs with new names and carried on, Walmart made concrete, measurable changes. Sam's Club CEO Chris Nicholas has moved to softer language about "openness and connection" — which is either genuine course correction or carefully managed PR. Either way, the policies changed.
Head-to-Head: What Matters for Your Dollar
Let's break it down where it counts:
DEI Programs
Costco: Actively maintained, defended from shareholder review, and publicly celebrated. Board members have rebuked companies that are rolling back DEI. Sam's Club/Walmart: Rolled back. Formal programs dismantled, CEI withdrawn, racial equity funding ended.
Pride Sponsorships
Costco: Maintains LGBTQ+ employee initiatives and community commitments. Sam's Club/Walmart: Pulled back from major Pride event sponsorships in 2024.
Political Posture
Costco: Leadership publicly attacks companies that dropped DEI, signaling a combative stance toward the conservative movement. Sam's Club/Walmart: Walmart's PAC actually leans Republican — 54% of affiliated contributions went to Republicans in the 2024 cycle. That's notable for a company this size.
Legal Scrutiny
Costco: Under formal notice from 19 state AGs for DEI practices that may violate anti-discrimination law. Sam's Club/Walmart: Rollback largely preempted legal exposure and satisfied conservative legal pressure groups.
The Verdict: Sam's Club Wins — But Stay Watchful
If you're a conservative shopper choosing between a Costco membership and a Sam's Club membership right now, Sam's Club is the clear choice. Not because Walmart has a clean record — it absolutely doesn't. The company spent years and hundreds of millions of dollars funding woke ideology. But they changed course under consumer pressure, which is exactly how this fight is supposed to work.
Costco, on the other hand, has made a deliberate choice to thumb its nose at conservative consumers and state officials alike. They want the left-wing buy-cott crowd. They've earned the woke label — and they're wearing it proudly.
Walmart still carries the legacy score of 90/100 on Buy Woke Free's database, reflecting years of corporate activism that can't be erased overnight. Progress matters, but so does accountability. We'll continue tracking whether Walmart's rollback is real and lasting or just a PR pivot designed to weather the storm.
For now? Keep your Sam's Club card. Let Costco's board preach DEI to empty parking lots.
The Bottom Line for Smart Shoppers
- ✅ Sam's Club — parent company rolled back DEI, withdrew from HRC index, ended racial equity fund
- ❌ Costco — doubled down on DEI, rejected shareholder oversight, targeted by 19 state AGs
- 📊 BWF Scores: Costco 45/100 (Woke) | Walmart/Sam's Club 90/100 (Extremely Woke — but changing)
Your money is your vote. Make it count.