INDUSTRY NEWS | ANALYSIS
• The plaintiff did not purchase any raw chicken products from the retailer. The chicken carries labels with handling instructions and safety information The suit relies on an analysis by Farm Forward claiming Costco’s poultry plants failed to meet standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Taylor also said Costco’s Grade A poultry rating is misleading. Costco’s lawyers also said Taylor did not show how the company violated Washing- ton’s Consumer Protection Act. This marks the second lawsuit this year involving Costco’s rotisserie chicken. In January, two California consumers sued the retailer, alleging the company falsely claimed its chicken did not contain preservatives. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, seeks class-action status. The plaintiffs said Costco stores posted signs on rotisserie chicken displays stating the chickens had “no pre- servatives” and made the same claim on its website. Costco has since replaced the signs and removed the claim from its website, accord- ing to reports. —Bill Wilson
Costco fights back in suit against rotisserie chicken The company’s lawyers say lawsuit has several holes Attorneys for the Issaquah, Wash.-based company said in a motion in April that plaintiff Lisa Taylor’s argument lacks support.
COSTCO says a lawsuit claiming the retail- er’s rotisserie chicken poses a salmonella risk is baseless, the Seattle Times reports. Attorneys for the Issaquah, Wash.- based company said in a motion in April that plaintiff Lisa Taylor’s argument lacks support. She filed her complaint in U.S. District Court for the Western District of
Washington. Costco asked the court to dismiss the suit, citing several factors: • The rotisserie chicken is fully cooked, which kills salmonella bacteria. Costco’s lawyers said the plaintiff did not allege the chicken was improperly cooked and did not suffer any illness or injury
Walmart continues to lose grocery market share But will the retailer ever be caught?
WALMART’S leading share of the grocery market continues to decline, according to the latest data from Numerator. The Ben- tonville, Ark.-based retailer currently holds a 19.9% share, down from 20% in 2025 and 20.4% in 2024. Meanwhile, Costco is gaining ground. The Issaquah, Wash.-based warehouse retailer now claims an 8.2% share, ranking third. This marks an increase from 7.9% in 2025 and 7.6% in 2024. Kroger remains No. 2 behind Walmart, but its share is also shrinking. The Cin- cinnati-based grocer’s market share has dropped from 8.8% in 2024 to 8.6% in 2025 and 8.3% in 2026. Albertsons ranks fourth despite losing
ground over the three-year span. The Boise, Idaho-based grocer held a 4.8% share in 2024, which has since declined to 4.5%. Publix, based in Lakeland, Fla., ranks fifth and has maintained a 4.1% share since 2024. Walmart also leads Numerator’s con- sumer packaged goods (CPG) market share, but its dominance is waning. The retailer’s share has dropped from 21.1% in 2024 to 20.6% in 2025 and 20.4% in 2026. Costco ranks No. 2 in the CPG market, with its share rising from 7.4% in 2024 to 8.1% in 2026. Amazon and Whole Foods, which are grouped together, rank third and have seen the largest year-over-year increases. Their
Walmart’s leading share of the grocery market continues to decline, according to the latest data from Numerator.
combined share rose from 6.4% in 2024 to 7% in 2025 and now stands at 8% in 2026. Kroger, which ranks fourth, has expe- rienced the steepest decline in the CPG market. Its share fell from 7.2% in 2024 to 6.7% in 2026. Albertsons rounds out the top five in the CPG market, holding a 3.6% share in 2026, down from 3.9% in 2024 and 3.8% in 2025. —Bill Wilson
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