Costco Rotisserie Chicken Faces Class Action Over Salmonella Concerns
A new class action lawsuit has been filed against retail giant Costco, alleging that its rotisserie chicken processing plant in Nebraska is plagued by Salmonella contamination. The lawsuit, initiated by an animal rights nonprofit, zeroes in on the safety standards at Costco’s Lincoln Premium Poultry plant, which handles a staggering volume of chickens annually.
The legal action was formally lodged in Seattle federal court by plaintiff Lisa Taylor, a resident of Affton, Missouri. Her case draws heavily on a study conducted by Farm Forward in December, which reportedly highlighted significant issues with safety protocols at the Lincoln Premium Poultry facility. This plant, operational since 2019, is responsible for processing more than 100 million chickens each year.
The complaint asserts that the processing plant, although not directly named as a defendant in this particular suit, consistently falls short of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety benchmarks. According to reports, a substantial percentage of the chickens processed at the facility test positive for Salmonella. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that over 9.8 percent of whole chickens and an even higher 15.4 percent of chicken parts have shown positive results for the bacteria.
Ms. Taylor, the lead plaintiff, stated that she regularly purchased one to two Costco rotisserie chickens each month from warehouses located in the St. Louis area. She contends that she paid a premium for these products under the assumption they were safe, an expectation that was allegedly unmet due to Costco’s failure to disclose the potential risk of Salmonella contamination.
The core of the lawsuit’s argument is that Costco’s alleged inability to effectively manage Salmonella in its chicken supply chain is not a minor oversight but a serious issue that poses a genuine threat to consumers and erodes public trust.
The legal action seeks compensatory damages, as well as triple damages, for all shoppers who have purchased Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens and raw chicken parts since January 1, 2019. The plaintiff argues that Costco has contravened Washington’s consumer protection laws and breached an implied warranty that its chicken products are safe for consumption.
Costco, known for its famously low price point of $4.99 for its Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken, reported global sales exceeding 157 million birds in 2025 during its annual meeting last month. This substantial market presence underscores the widespread consumer reliance on these popular products.
Previous Legal Challenges and Ingredient Scrutiny
This latest legal challenge is not the first time Costco has faced scrutiny regarding its rotisserie chicken. In a separate class-action lawsuit filed just last month in California, two customers accused the retailer of falsely advertising its Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens as being free from preservatives.
The California lawsuit specifically pointed to the presence of sodium phosphate and carrageenan, ingredients that function as preservatives, as contradicting Costco’s “No Preservatives” claims and advertising.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally regards sodium phosphate as safe for consumption by healthy individuals. However, for those with kidney disease, it can present risks, potentially leading to imbalances in essential minerals, skeletal issues, and cardiovascular complications.
Carrageenan, a thickening and preserving agent derived from red seaweed, is also approved by the FDA for food use. Despite this approval, some scientific studies have suggested a link between carrageenan consumption and digestive problems, as well as inflammation. It is important to distinguish this from poligeenan, a degraded form of carrageenan, which has been associated with an increased risk of cancer.
In response to inquiries from the press regarding the preservative claims, a Costco spokesperson previously issued a statement. The company indicated that it had removed statements concerning preservatives from its in-warehouse and online signage to ensure consistency with the labeling on its rotisserie chicken products.
The spokesperson further clarified that carrageenan and sodium phosphate are utilised to maintain moisture, enhance texture, and ensure product consistency during the cooking process. Costco maintains that both ingredients are approved by relevant food safety authorities.
