Costco is recalling nearly 80,000 pounds of butter for labeling errors

A recent recall has become the focus of online ridicule.

On October 11, Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC initiated a voluntary recall of nearly 80,000 pounds of butter distributed in Texas and sold at Costco.

The recall includes 1,300 cases (approx. 46,800 pounds) 16-ounce, 4-stick packages of Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter and 900 cases (approx. 32,400 pounds) of 16-ounce, 4-stick packages of Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter.

The FDA classified the recall on Nov. 7 as a Class II for potentially exposing users to a strange “undeclared allergen” in the butter products: milk.

“Butter lists cream but may lack the statement Contains milk,” the FDA wrote. The recall lists six lots of products that have “Best By” dates from February 22, 2025 to March 29, 2025.

If you purchased Kirkland Signature brand butter on or before October 11th, it matches the recall information, and you have a sensitivity or allergy to milk, dispose of it as soon as possible or return it to your local Costco for a refund .

FDA defines a Class II recall as “a situation where use of or exposure to an offending product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or where the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences is small.”

This is lower on the scale than a Class I recall, which gives a “reasonable likelihood” that users of the product could experience “serious health consequences or death.” A Perdue Foods recall of frozen chicken nuggets and bids for possible metal contamination from August is a recent example.

Milk is listed by the FDA as one of them nine major food allergensbut those on social media questioned the necessity of this recall.

“80,000 pounds of Costco butter was just recalled because the label doesn’t say it contains milk,” wrote an X user. “It’s butter.”

“In other news…ice cream is made of water,” wrote another. “Who knew?”

“This is just insane,” one person wrote on Reddit.