Costco Confronts New Legal Challenge Over Rotisserie Chicken Safety
A significant new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Costco, targeting the retail giant's immensely popular rotisserie chickens. The legal action alleges that Costco's primary chicken processing facility in Nebraska is contaminated with salmonella, posing serious health risks to consumers.
Details of the Federal Court Filing
The lawsuit was formally submitted on Thursday in Seattle federal court by plaintiff Lisa Taylor from Affton, Missouri. The complaint draws heavily upon a December study conducted by the animal rights nonprofit Farm Forward, which scrutinised safety conditions at Costco's Lincoln Premium Poultry plant in Fremont, Nebraska.
This facility, which commenced operations in 2019, processes an astonishing volume exceeding 100 million chickens each year. The legal filing contends that the plant "consistently" fails to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture safety standards. According to the cited study, more than 9.8 percent of whole chickens and 15.4 percent of chicken parts from the facility tested positive for salmonella contamination.
Plaintiff's Claims and Consumer Deception Allegations
Lisa Taylor states that she regularly purchased one or two Costco rotisserie chickens monthly from St. Louis-area warehouses. She asserts that she overpaid for these products because Costco failed to disclose the potential salmonella contamination risk, thereby violating Washington state consumer protection laws.
"Costco's failure to control salmonella in its chicken supply is not a harmless technicality—it poses a real danger to consumers and violates their trust," the legal complaint emphatically declares. Taylor is seeking compensatory and triple damages for all shoppers who purchased Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens and raw chicken parts since January 1, 2019.
Broader Context: A Second Major Lawsuit This Year
This latest legal action follows closely on the heels of another class-action lawsuit filed just last month in California. That case focused on different allegations, claiming that Costco falsely advertised its Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens as being preservative-free.
That lawsuit highlighted the presence of sodium phosphate and carrageenan in the products, ingredients which function as preservatives despite Costco's marketing claims to the contrary. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration generally regards both substances as safe for consumption, though they may present specific health risks for individuals with certain pre-existing conditions.
Costco's Response and Market Position
In response to the earlier preservative-related lawsuit, a Costco spokesperson provided a statement to The Independent, explaining that the company had removed preservative-related claims from in-store signs and online presentations to ensure labelling consistency.
"We use carrageenan and sodium phosphate to support moisture retention, texture, and product consistency during cooking. Both ingredients are approved by food safety authorities," the statement concluded. The company has yet to publicly comment on the new salmonella-related allegations.
Costco's rotisserie chicken represents a cornerstone of its value proposition, famously priced at just $4.99. The company reported staggering global sales of more than 157 million birds in 2025 during its most recent annual meeting, underscoring the product's massive commercial significance and the potential scale of consumer impact addressed in these lawsuits.
