Costco sued over alleged salmonella risk in rotisserie chicken

Core Viewpoint - Costco is facing a lawsuit regarding alleged salmonella contamination in its rotisserie chicken, with claims that its Nebraska processing plant fails to meet USDA safety standards [1] Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit is a proposed class action filed by an animal rights nonprofit, citing that over 9.8% of whole chickens and 15.4% of chicken parts from the Fremont, Nebraska plant tested positive for salmonella [1] - The plaintiff, Lisa Taylor, claims she overpaid for rotisserie chickens due to Costco's failure to disclose the contamination risk and is seeking compensatory and triple damages for affected consumers since January 1, 2019 [1] - This lawsuit follows another class action filed in San Diego, alleging false advertising regarding the absence of preservatives in Costco's rotisserie chicken [1] Group 2: Sales and Market Impact - Costco's rotisserie chicken sales reached over 157 million units worldwide in 2025, indicating its significance as a loss-leader product to attract customers [1] - The price of Costco's Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken is set at $4.99, which has been a key factor in driving foot traffic to its warehouse stores [1] Group 3: Company Response - Neither Costco nor the Lincoln plant has provided comments regarding the lawsuit as of the latest report [1]