Costco faces new lawsuit over chicken contamination
Costco is facing a class action lawsuit alleging salmonella in its popular rotisserie chicken.
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Costco is facing a second lawsuit centered on rotisserie chicken, after an animal rights nonprofit claims a chicken processing plant in Nebraska is suffering from salmonella contamination.
The proposed class action lawsuit, filed Feb. 12 in federal court in Seattle and obtained by USA TODAY, points to a study by Farm Forward that criticized safety conditions at Costco’s Lincoln Premium chicken plant in Fremont, Nebraska.
The investigation claims the plant “consistently fails to meet USDA Salmonella safety standards year after year” and “sends unsafe chicken to stores across the country.” On its website, Farm Forward says its mission is to “end factory farming.”
“Costco’s failure to control Salmonella in its chicken supply is not an innocuous technical issue; it poses a real risk to consumers and constitutes a breach of trust,” the complaint says.
The plaintiff in the lawsuit, Lisa Taylor of Afton, Missouri, who regularly purchases rotisserie chicken in the St. Louis area, said she “suffered financial harm” by paying too much for potentially contaminated chicken. The company is seeking damages for Costco customers who purchased rotisserie chicken and raw chicken parts after January 1, 2019.
USA TODAY reached out to the attorneys listed in Taylor’s lawsuit on February 17 for further comment.
The $4.99 pre-cooked rotisserie chicken has become Costco’s signature product and a loss-making mainstay of attracting customers. At its annual general meeting in January, the company announced that sales of rotisserie chickens will exceed 157 million worldwide in 2025.
USA TODAY reached out to Costco for comment on February 17, but did not immediately receive a response.
Costco faces second lawsuit stemming from rotisserie chicken
The salmonella lawsuit comes on the heels of a class-action lawsuit filed against wholesale retailer Costco for falsely advertising that its rotisserie chicken products were “preservative-free.”
Costco claims that Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken has two added preservatives: sodium phosphate and carrageenan.
The lawsuit, filed by two California women, accuses Costco of violating multiple consumer protection laws, including in California and Washington, where the wholesale retailer is headquartered.
The complaint’s false advertising claims stem from the fact that “no preservatives” signs are prominently displayed in Costco stores and on the company’s website, as well as the fact that two types of preservatives are listed in small, “discreet” letters on the back of the packaging. The lawsuit alleges that Costco “systematically deceived customers” by “falsely advertising” that its chicken products were “preservative-free.”
Costco announced in a statement to USA TODAY on Jan. 28 that it has removed signage suggesting its chicken products are free of preservatives. “We use carrageenan and sodium phosphate to support moisture retention, texture and product consistency during cooking,” Costco said. “Both ingredients have been approved by food safety authorities.”
Contributed by: Reuters
