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There are thousands of things to pick from when you make the trek to Costco, but the brand is known for a few signature items that a sizeable chunk of customers will snag when they make the pilgrimage. That includes the rotisserie chickens that are one of its best bargains, but they’ve landed at the center of a lawsuit involving allegations of deceptive marketing.
I’d argue no trip to Costco is truly complete without stopping for the hot dog combo that will still only set you back $1.50, a price that has remained the same since it was introduced in 1985. There’s a similar steal that awaits you if you make your way toward the back of the warehouse and encounter the glowing beacon of goodness that’s home to the rotisserie chickens that only cost $4.99.
It’s been a little more than three decades since a couple of Costco employees in Canada introduced rotisserie chickens at their store in Montreal in 1995, and Costco now sells more than 100 million of them each year while declining to raise the price.
Those chickens ended up at the center of a lawsuit that accused the company of animal welfare violations in 2022, and now they’re facing another legal issue courtesy of customers who have accused the chain of lying about the contents of the product.
Costco is being sued for claiming its rotisserie chickens don’t contain any preservatives
Costco’s rotisserie chickens are both an affordable option and a relatively healthy one, and the approximately three-pound birds are a pretty versatile option for shoppers looking for an easy dinner.
However, according to ABC7, two customers in California have filed a class-action lawsuit in a federal court in San Diego that accuses Costco of false advertising over a “No Preservatives” claim.
The filing asserts that particular language appears on in-store signage and the packaging of the chickens despite an ingredients list that included sodium phosphate and carrageenan, which are commonly used as stabilizers in the food industry.
It is worth noting that the label on plastic containers that were formerly used to house the rotisserie chickens at Costco did market them as preservative-free, but it appears it disappeared when the chain switched to the bags that are now used as containers.
The front of those bags notes the chicken contains “No hormones or added steroids,” while the back says there is “No MSG, gluten, Artificial Flavors or Colors,” a quartet that formerly appeared alongside the “No Preservatives” claim.
BroBible reached out to Costco for comment, and a spokesperson responded with the following statement:
To maintain consistency among the labeling on our rotisserie chickens and the signs in our warehouses/on-line presentations, we have removed statements concerning preservatives from the signs and on-line presentations.
We use carrageenan and sodium phosphate to support moisture retention, texture, and product consistency during cooking. Both ingredients are approved by food safety authorities.
I guess we’ll have to see how things play out.