Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken is at the center of a new lawsuit

Costco is being sued over one of its most famous items — its $4.99 rotisserie chicken.

The lawsuit, first reported by The Los Angeles Times, was filed by two people in California claiming Costco falsely advertised that its rotisserie chicken contains “no preservatives.” According to the class-action lawsuit, filed on Jan. 22, Costco’s Kirkland Signature seasoned rotisserie chicken contains two added preservatives — sodium phosphate and carrageenan.

Sodium phosphate is classified as a preservative that controls pH and reduces fat oxidation, slowing down microbial growth and spoilage. Carrageenan is a preservative that thickens foods.

“[Costco] has systemically cheated customers out of tens – if not hundreds – of millions of dollars by falsely advertising its Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken as containing ‘no preservatives,'” the lawsuit stated, according to The Los Angeles Times.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said both are considered safe to eat, but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit felt cheated, thinking it was preservative-free, with signs and labeling in the store and on the product claiming as such.

The company told USA Today that it had removed the “no preservative” statements in-store and online to “maintain consistency among the labeling on our rotisserie chickens and the signs in our warehouses/online presentations.”

The class-action lawsuit would include anyone in the U.S. who purchased Costco’s rotisserie chicken if the court certifies it, according to USA Today.

In addition to a permanent change to the Costco product’s labeling, the plaintiffs are also requesting unspecified monetary damages.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

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