Costco faces two separate proposed class actions involving Kirkland Signature chicken. One challenges the “no preservatives” marketing for seasoned rotisserie chicken; the other alleges Costco failed to disclose Salmonella risks tied to a poultry supplier. Neither complaint proves its allegations, and the available records reviewed for this article do not establish a court ruling or a verified settlement.
What the two lawsuits allege
| Case | Filed | Main issue | Products in the complaint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No. 3:26-cv-00403 | January 22, 2026, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California | Whether a “no preservatives” representation is misleading | Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken |
| Taylor v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No. 2:26-cv-00528 | February 12, 2026, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington | Whether Costco failed to disclose alleged Salmonella risks in its poultry supply | Kirkland Signature rotisserie and raw chicken |
Both are proposed class actions. Neither proposed group is a court-certified class, and filing a complaint does not establish liability or a right to compensation.
Johnston: the “no preservatives” claim
Two California consumers, Bianca Johnston and Anastasia Chernov, allege that Costco marketed its seasoned rotisserie chicken as containing no preservatives even though it contains sodium phosphate and carrageenan. They argue those ingredients perform preservative functions. Their complaint describes the challenged representations as appearing in stores, on packaging and in Costco’s online product description. These are plaintiffs’ allegations, not a court finding that the label is false. ClassAction.org’s report on the complaint summarizes the claim.
Costco’s reported response is that federal regulators do not classify the two ingredients as preservatives and that the plaintiffs misunderstand their use in the seasoning mix. Costco moved to dismiss on June 4, 2026. The available Johnston docket index lists briefing and a September 17, 2026 hearing, but the index was last updated June 29 and does not show the hearing result. The record reviewed here therefore does not establish whether the motion was granted or denied. Supermarket News reported on Costco’s dismissal argument.
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- A blend of onion, spices and garlic
- For slow-roasted flavor and a golden appearance without using a rotisserie
- For whole chicken, chicken parts, salmon, pork and chicken salad
- Gluten free; no MSG added
Taylor: alleged Salmonella risk in the supply chain
Lisa Taylor’s complaint alleges Costco did not disclose Salmonella risks associated with Lincoln Premium Poultry, its Nebraska poultry operation. The complaint says the operation supplies Costco rotisserie and raw chicken and proposes a class of U.S. purchasers, including purchasers in U.S. territories, who bought Kirkland Signature rotisserie or raw chicken for personal or household use beginning January 1, 2019. That is the plaintiff’s proposed definition, not an approved class or eligibility rule. The filed complaint sets out the allegations.
The complaint cites USDA inspection records and alleges the plant received Category 3 ratings in roughly 92% of reporting periods since 2019, and that every monthly test from late 2023 through mid-2025 received that rating. It also cites an October 2025 Consumer Reports analysis. Those figures are assertions in the complaint citing those sources; they have not been independently verified here against the underlying USDA data. They do not establish that a particular Costco chicken was contaminated or that a consumer became ill. The complaint PDF describes the cited inspection data and analysis.
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- The information below is per-pack only
- Perfect Pinch Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning is a savory seasoning for chicken
- A blend of onion, spices and garlic
- For slow-roasted flavor and a golden appearance without using a rotisserie
- For whole chicken, chicken parts, salmon, pork and chicken salad
Costco’s reported defenses include that rotisserie chicken is fully cooked, that Taylor did not allege improper cooking or illness, and that she did not purchase raw chicken. These are arguments by the company, not a ruling on the case or a finding about the supplier’s inspection record. The Spokesman-Review covered Costco’s position. A third-party Taylor docket index lists motion-briefing entries on July 31 and a joint status report on September 3, 2026, while warning that its records may be incomplete; it does not establish a ruling.
Is Costco chicken contaminated with Salmonella?
These lawsuits do not establish that Costco’s chicken is contaminated or that a court or regulator has declared it unsafe. The Taylor complaint makes claims about alleged risks and facility inspection ratings; those claims are not proof that an individual package or cooked chicken contained Salmonella. Costco’s reported position is that the rotisserie chicken is fully cooked. The litigation status described above should not be mistaken for a food-safety finding.
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Can shoppers get a settlement payment?
No verified settlement, payment amount or consumer claim deadline was identified in the sources reviewed on October 6, 2026. The settlement-information page reporting that status says its docket review is incomplete, so it is not a definitive current court-record check. A complaint’s proposed class description does not itself make shoppers eligible to claim money, and an investigation questionnaire is not a court-approved claim form.
For any later settlement or ruling, check the court records rather than relying on a proposed class definition or a claims-style questionnaire. The available Johnston index is stale relative to its September hearing date, and the Taylor index warns it may not include every record.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Perfect Pinch Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning is a savory seasoning for chicken
- A blend of onion, spices and garlic
- For slow-roasted flavor and a golden appearance without using a rotisserie
- For whole chicken, chicken parts, salmon, pork and chicken salad
- Gluten free; no MSG added
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