The unbelievable labeling mistake that forced Costco to recall 80,000 pounds of butter: what to do if you already bought

Costco had to recall almost 80,000 pounds of its own brand of butter due to a clear labeling error. The product’s label omitted a basic ingredient in butter production: milk.

While it may seem unnecessary to clarify that butter contains milk, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifies that all products must include a “Contains Milk” statement on the label, as people with milk allergies or lactose intolerance could be affected by consuming it.

In fact, the FDA classified this recall as “Class II” because the product “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.”

Which products were recalled?

Costco has been required by the FDA to recall two types of butter. This includes 32,400 pounds of Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter and 46,800 pounds of Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter.

Both types were manufactured by Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest and were distributed throughout Texas, though more specific location details are unavailable.

The food lot numbers and best-by dates for the recalled butter products are as follows:

• Lot No. 2424091: “Best By” date of Feb. 22, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter).
• Lot No. 2424111: “Best By” date of Feb. 23, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter).
• Lot No. 2426891: “Best By” date of March 22, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter).
• Lot No. 2426991: “Best By” date of March 23, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter).
• Lot No. 2424191: “Best By” date of Feb. 23, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter).
• Lot No. 2427591: “Best By” date of March 29, 2025 (Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter).

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What to do if you’ve already purchased the product

Since this is a labeling issue, there should be no problem if no one in the household is lactose intolerant or allergic to milk. However, taking precautionary measures is always advisable.

The FDA has not issued specific instructions on what to do in this case, but FoodSafety.gov’s general guidelines recommend that consumers return recalled products to the point of purchase for a refund. If that’s not possible, dispose of it carefully so that no one else, including animals, can consume it.

Social media reacts to the labeling error

As noted earlier, this error might seem basic and even unnecessary to specify that butter contains milk, but regulations are clear on this point. Nonetheless, some users on X (formerly Twitter) commented on the situation, with some even suggesting solutions.

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*This article was written in Spanish and translated with the help of AI.