A pair of California consumers have filed a lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp. alleging that the company falsely claimed that its rotisserie chickens did not contain preservatives.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, seeks class-action status. The plaintiffs claim that Costco stores posted signs on their rotisserie chicken displays stating that the chickens had “no preservatives” and that Costco also made the same claim on its website.
The Issaquah, Wash,-based retailer has since replaced the signs and removed the claim from its website, according to reports.
A spokesperson for Costco could not be reached for comment.
The suit, a copy of which was obtained by Supermarket News, alleges that Costco uses the preservatives sodium phosphate and carrageenan in its rotisserie chickens. Sodium phosphate serves to retard microbial growth and spoilage and also helps maintain quality and texture, according to the suit, while carrageenan also preserves texture and extends shelf life. Both ingredients are approved for use in food by the Food and Drug Administration.
The suit argues that although the ingredients are listed on the ingredient label, the label is on the back of the packaging and is much less prominent than the “no preservatives” verbiage on the signs. The ingredient label also does not explain that the two ingredients are used as preservatives.
The two plaintiffs, Bianca Johnston and...
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