Class-action lawsuit alleges Costco’s rotisserie chicken poses salmonella risk

Costco is facing another class-action lawsuit on its rotisserie chicken after an animal rights nonprofit organization claimed its Nebraska chicken processing plant suffers from salmonella contamination.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Seattle on Feb. 12, which highlights a study by Farm Forward that called out the safety conditions at Costco’s Lincoln Premium Poultry plant, according to USA Today.

The study claimed that Costco’s Nebraska plant “consistently fails USDA salmonella safety standards year after year,” and it distributes “unsafe chickens to stores nationwide.” On Farm Forward’s website, it notes that its mission is to “end factory farming.”

“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 complaint states, according to USA Today.

Lisa Taylor, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, regularly purchased rotisserie chickens from Costco in the St. Louis area, and “suffered economic injury” by overpaying for the potentially contaminated chicken, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks damages for Costco customers who have purchased rotisserie chicken and raw chicken parts after January 1, 2019.

The $4.99 cooked rotisserie chicken has become a staple for the large wholesale retailer and acts as a major loss-leader to attract customers. Costco’s rotisserie chicken sales topped 157 million chickens worldwide in 2025, the company stated in its annual meeting in January.

Another legal battle for Costco’s rotisserie chicken

A separate lawsuit was previously filed against Costco, accusing the retailer of falsely advertising its rotisserie chickens as containing “no preservatives.”

The lawsuit alleges that Costco’s Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken contains two added preservatives, sodium phosphate and carrageenan, according to USA Today.

The lawsuit was brought by two California women, who are accusing Costco of violating multiple consumer protection laws in Washington and California, among others.

The false advertising allegations came from the “no preservatives” sign being displayed in Costco stores and on the company website, even though two preservatives are listed on the back of the packaging in small print.

The complaint claims that Costco “systematically cheated customers” by “falsely advertising” its chicken that had “no preservatives.”

In a statement on Jan. 28, Costco stated to USA Today that the company had removed all signage suggesting that the chicken did not contain any preservatives.

“We use carrageenan and sodium phosphate to support moisture retention, texture, and product consistency during cooking,” Costco stated. “Both ingredients are approved by food safety authorities.”

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest