costco recalls

Major Costco Recalls: What Canadian Shoppers Need to Know About Salad, Sandwiches, and Ready-to-Eat Foods

In the bustling world of Canadian grocery shopping, few names command the trust and loyalty quite like Costco. From the iconic rotisserie chicken to the massive bulk deals, it is a staple for families from coast to coast. However, recent weeks have seen a wave of urgent recalls affecting some of the warehouse giant’s most popular refrigerated items.

If you have picked up a Caesar salad kit, a pre-made sandwich, or other ready-to-eat meals recently, it is crucial to check your fridge. A series of reports from major US news outlets—including Parade, People, and TheStreet—have highlighted significant safety concerns ranging from life-threatening contamination risks to plastic fragments.

While these reports stem from US-based coverage, Canadian members of the Costco ecosystem often face the same supply chains and product lines. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the situation, what has been recalled, and what it means for your household.

The Main Narrative: A Trio of Food Safety Scares

The core of the current issue revolves around three distinct but overlapping safety alerts involving ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. These products are designed for convenience—perfect for busy professionals, students, and families—but that convenience comes with a responsibility for strict safety standards.

According to verified reports from Parade Magazine and People.com, the recalls center on two primary categories: potential Listeria contamination and physical hazards (plastic).

The "Life-Threatening" Salad and Sandwich Recall

On November 27, 2025, a significant recall was issued for ready-to-eat salads and sandwiches containing chicken, potentially affected by Listeria monocytogenes.

• The Risk: Listeria is a dangerous bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Even healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
• The Products: The recall specifically targets Caesar salads and pre-made sandwiches sold at Costco delis. Parade highlighted that this was not a minor withdrawal but an urgent action due to the "potentially life-threatening" nature of the bacteria.

The Plastic Contamination Scare

In a separate but equally concerning event, Costco recalled two popular refrigerated items due to the possibility of foreign material contamination—specifically, plastic.

• The Hazard: As reported by People.com, consuming food with hard plastic fragments poses a choking hazard and can cause injury to teeth, gums, and internal organs.
• The Products: While the specific brand names in the US reports vary by region, these items were highlighted as high-volume sellers in the refrigerated deli section.

The Expanded Ready-to-Eat Recall

Further compounding the issue, TheStreet reported that Costco was expanding an urgent recall of contaminated ready-to-eat food. This suggests that as the manufacturer or supplier investigates the scope of the problem, more products are being pulled from shelves to ensure member safety.

Safety Tip: If you have purchased any refrigerated deli salads, sandwiches, or wraps from Costco in the last few weeks, check the "Use By" dates and item numbers immediately against official recall notices.

Recent Updates: Timeline of the Recalls

To help you navigate these updates, here is a summary of the verified developments based on the news reports.

Late November 2025: The Initial Alert The first wave of news broke regarding the Listeria risk associated with chicken used in salads and sandwiches. The urgency of these reports cannot be overstated. Listeria has a long incubation period, meaning symptoms can take up to 70 days to appear, making it difficult to trace back to a specific meal immediately.

Concurrent Updates: Plastic Contamination Almost simultaneously, reports surfaced regarding the plastic contamination. This type of recall usually indicates a failure in the manufacturing process, where equipment parts may have broken off into the food product.

The Expansion Phase As indicated by TheStreet, the recall scope widened. In the food industry, this often happens when a trace-back investigation reveals that the contamination issue affects more batches than initially thought. For the consumer, this means that if you have an older package of a specific refrigerated item, it is still at risk.

Contextual Background: Why Ready-to-Eat Foods Are Vulnerable

To understand why these recalls are happening, it is helpful to look at the broader landscape of the food industry. Ready-to-eat foods are a booming sector in Canada and globally. They offer a lifeline to busy Canadians who want a quick lunch without the hassle of cooking. However, they are also highly susceptible to contamination.

The Listeria Challenge

Listeria is a notorious pathogen in the food world. It is unique because it can survive and even grow in cool, refrigerated temperatures. Unlike many bacteria that are killed by cooking, Listeria can persist in deli meats, hot dogs, and soft cheeses (and by extension, salads containing these items).

When a massive retailer like Costco sources salads from a third-party manufacturer, the supply chain is complex. A single batch of contaminated chicken at the processing plant can ripple out to thousands of stores.

Plastic Contamination and Manufacturing

Foreign material contamination, such as plastic, metal, or bone, is the third most common reason for food recalls in North America. It usually points to equipment failure. In high-volume production facilities, a piece of machinery can degrade, leaving small plastic shards in the food. While modern processing plants have metal detectors and X-ray machines, plastic is notoriously difficult to detect.

Costco’s Role in Food Safety

Costco operates on a high-volume, low-margin model. They rely on a limited number of suppliers for their Kirkland Signature and other private label brands. This allows for rigorous quality control but also means that when a problem occurs, it affects a massive volume of product. Costco has a robust food safety team that often initiates recalls proactively before government agencies mandate them, which is a testament to their commitment to member safety.

Immediate Effects: What This Means for Canadian Shoppers

While these specific reports are from US sources, the implications for Canadian Costco members are significant due to shared corporate standards and occasional parallel supply chains.

1. Health Vigilance

The immediate priority is health. If you or a family member has consumed these products and is experiencing fever, muscle aches, or nausea, seek medical attention immediately. Mention the potential Listeria exposure to your doctor.

2. The Return Process

Costco has one of the most generous return policies in retail. For these recalls: * Do not consume the product. * Do not return it to the store shelf. * Take the product (or a photo of the label) to the Costco returns desk for a full refund. You do not typically need a receipt for recalled items at Costco, as they track purchases via membership cards.

3. Supply Chain Ripple Effects

When a recall hits, you may notice temporary shortages of certain deli items. In the past, major recalls have led to "salad bars" or "grab-and-go" sections being temporarily shut down or stripped of items until the all-clear is given. This is a standard operational response to sanitize the area and ensure no cross-contamination occurred.

Future Outlook: Navigating Food Safety in 2026

As we look toward the future, several trends and implications arise from these recent events.

Increased Regulatory Scrutiny

Expect to see increased scrutiny from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the FDA in the US. These high-profile recalls often trigger broader investigations into the specific suppliers involved. We may see stricter regulations regarding testing for Listeria in ready-to-eat chicken products.

Consumer Behavior Shifts

These recalls may temporarily shake consumer confidence in pre-packaged deli foods. * Shift to Whole Foods: Some shoppers may pivot back to buying whole chickens and making their own salads, bypassing the ready-to-eat section until trust is restored. * Brand Loyalty: However, Costco shoppers are famously loyal. The ease of the return process and the transparency of the recall usually reinforce trust rather than erode it. Shoppers recognize that Costco is acting as a safety gatekeeper.

The "Safety First" Supply Chain

Moving forward, manufacturers supplying Costco will likely invest heavily in new detection technologies. This includes more advanced X-ray systems capable of spotting low-density plastics and more rigorous environmental monitoring programs to catch Listeria in the facility before it reaches the food.

Conclusion

The recent recalls of Costco salads, sandwiches, and ready-to-eat items are a stark reminder of the complexities of modern food production. While the risks—Listeria and plastic contamination—are serious, the response from the retail giant and the media has been swift and transparent.

For Canadian Costco members, the message is simple: Check your fridge. If you have affected items, utilize the return policy and stay updated through official CFIA channels or Costco’s recall page. By staying informed, you can continue to