Costco members are loyal to a degree that borders on religious. The Kirkland brand inspires genuine devotion. People plan their weekends around sample stations. So when a product recall hits, it doesn’t just register as news. It feels like a betrayal. And over the past year or so, Costco has been dealing with an unusual number of recalls that rattled even the most dedicated warehouse shoppers. We’re talking exploding prosecco bottles, socks that burned people’s feet, generators leaking gasoline, and comfort food pulled off shelves across dozens of states. Here’s a look at the recalls that actually made people panic.
Nearly a Million Bottles of Kirkland Prosecco Were Shattering on Their Own
This one sounded like something out of a horror movie. Over 900,000 bottles of Kirkland Signature Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG were recalled after reports surfaced that the bottles were spontaneously shattering. Not cracking. Not leaking. Shattering. Unopened bottles were exploding in people’s homes.
F&F Fine Wines International, doing business as Ethica Wines, issued the recall after receiving 10 reports of bottles breaking or shattering, with one person suffering a laceration injury. The bottles were sold in Costco stores across 12 states, mostly in the Midwest, from April 2025 through August 2025. They were $8 a bottle. The affected bottles had green glass with purple foil and a purple label, UPC 196633883742, Costco Item Number 1879870.
Here’s the part that really spooked people: Costco told customers not to bring the bottles back to the store. The risk of the glass shattering during transport was considered too high. Instead, shoppers were told to wrap the bottles in paper towels, throw them in the household trash, and then contact Ethica Wines at customercare@ethicawines.com for refund instructions. When the return instructions are “don’t even touch it, just throw it away,” you know it’s serious. Costco had actually sent out a warning about this same product back in September 2025, before the official recall came through.
32 Degrees Heated Socks Burned at Least 13 People
Battery-powered heated socks sound like a great idea for anyone who’s ever gone skiing or shoveled a driveway in January. The 32 Degrees Heated Socks were sold at Costco stores and online from August 2025 through March 2026, priced between $30 and $46. They came in black, sizes medium through extra large. Nearly 208,000 pairs were sold before things went wrong.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the socks posed a burn risk when exposed to a combination of heat, friction, moisture, and pressure. That combination is basically guaranteed if you’re wearing heated socks while skiing, hiking, or doing anything active in tight boots. At least 13 people reported first- or second-degree burns. The “32° HEAT” branding appears on the battery pack casing, the packaging, and the user manual, so it’s easy to identify if you’ve got a pair at home.
Consumers were told to stop using them immediately and return them to Costco for a full refund. You can also reach 32 Degrees at 833-997-2452, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. This one hit hard because it was a popular winter gift item. A lot of people bought these as stocking stuffers or holiday presents, which means plenty of pairs were floating around in drawers, waiting to be worn.
Meatloaf Recalled Across Nearly 30 States
Costco’s prepared meals are a huge draw for busy families, and the “Meatloaf with Mashed Yukon Potatoes and Glaze” was one of those items that moved fast. So when it was recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination, it affected a massive number of shoppers across a wide geographic area.
The recall involved item #30782, sold between March 2 and March 13, 2026, in more than two dozen states including Illinois and Wisconsin. An ingredient supplier had flagged the potential contamination. No injuries or illnesses were reported at the time of the recall, but the sheer footprint of the product, plus the fact that meatloaf is one of Costco’s most popular comfort food items, made this one feel especially alarming. Customers were told to toss the product or bring it back for a full refund.
Generators That Could Leak Gasoline and Catch Fire
Generac Power Systems recalled its GP9200E gas generators sold at Costco between May 2025 and February 2026 after identifying a defect in the carburetor. The issue: the carburetor could leak fuel when the generator was first filled with gasoline, creating a risk of fire or explosion. The affected serial numbers range from 3016786070 to 3016788388.
Generac is one of the biggest names in backup power equipment in the U.S. A lot of people buy these generators specifically for storm season and power outages, meaning they tend to sit in garages for months before first use. If you bought one and haven’t used it yet, check the serial number before filling it up. Owners can arrange a free repair through an authorized dealer or return it to Costco for a full refund. The recall notice was sent directly to Costco members who purchased the affected units.
Plastic in Caesar Salads and Chicken Sandwiches
In November 2025, Ventura Foods, Costco’s supplier for certain prepared items, announced a voluntary recall of Caesar Salads (Item #19927) and Chicken Sandwiches with Caesar Salad (Item #11444). The problem was pieces of plastic found in the salad dressing. Affected products had sell-by dates between October 17, 2025, and November 9, 2025.
The FDA issued a Class II recall on the contaminated dressing. Ventura Foods also recalled other dressing products across 27 states, including Hidden Valley Ranch. About 3,556 cases of 1-gallon and 23- to 32-pound bottles were pulled. Plastic in a prepared salad you grabbed for lunch is the kind of thing that makes you second-guess every deli item for months.
Glass Fragments in Ramen Bowls and Fried Rice
Costco recalled Ajinomoto Shoyu Ramen Bowls and Ajinomoto Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice after discovering the products may contain pieces of glass. The ramen bowl recall had best-by dates ranging from May 20, 2026, to July 6, 2027. The fried rice recall covered best-by dates from November 8, 2025, to December 1, 2027. That’s a massive window, meaning a lot of product was sitting in freezers across the country.
Costco warned of choking and injury risks. These are the kinds of frozen meals people grab by the armful, so the recall had a large blast radius. If you’ve got either product in your freezer, check the dates. Don’t eat them. Bring them back for a refund.
Mislabeled Madeleines and Beignets Triggered Allergen Scares
Two separate bakery item recalls hit Costco shoppers with tree nut allergies especially hard. In January 2026, Mini Beignets with Caramel were recalled after some packages were found to contain Chocolate Hazelnut filling instead of caramel. The affected products were sold between January 16 and January 30, 2026. Then in April 2026, Traditional Madeleines were recalled after standard madeleines were inadvertently packaged with madeleines filled with chocolate hazelnut spread. Those were sold at select Costco locations across nine states from March 30 to April 6, 2026.
Both recalls involved the same core problem: undeclared tree nuts, specifically hazelnut. For anyone with a tree nut allergy, this is a nightmare scenario. You pick up what looks like a perfectly safe bakery product, and it turns out the filling isn’t what the label says. These recalls rattled a lot of parents in particular.
Corn Dogs and Sausage Sticks With Wood in the Batter
Yes, you read that right. Foster Farms Honey Crunchy Jumbo Corn Dogs (item #319714) were recalled due to the potential presence of pieces of wooden stick within the batter. Separately, Hillshire Brands recalled Jimmy Dean Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick (item #1321507) for the same reason: wood embedded in the batter. The Jimmy Dean products had a wide production range, from March 17 through September 26, 2025. Wood in your corn dog batter is one of those recalls that’s both alarming and weirdly funny, until you imagine biting down on it.
Treadmills and Hot Tubs Got Pulled Too
It wasn’t just food. Costco also recalled certain Matrix Treadmills, including the T30, TF30, T50, and TF50 models purchased between June 2021 and May 2025, due to a mechanical issue that could pose a fire risk during use. And a hot tub recall affected multiple item numbers sold from October 2022 to October 2025 because the jets could create a hair entanglement risk. When your hot tub and your treadmill are both on the recall list in the same news cycle, it’s a rough look.
What Costco Shoppers Should Actually Do
The good news is that Costco generally handles recalls better than most retailers. In almost every case, affected products can be returned for a full refund. The company contacts members directly when possible, and recall notices are posted in stores and online. But the sheer volume of recalls in 2025 and early 2026 has been unusual, and it’s understandable that shoppers are feeling jumpy.
The best move is to check your receipts, check your pantry and freezer, and don’t assume that a product you bought months ago is fine just because you haven’t heard anything. Several of these recalls had best-by dates stretching well into 2027, meaning affected products are still sitting in homes right now. If something you bought shows up on a recall list, stop using it, bring it back, and get your money. Costco will take it. That’s one thing they’ve never been stingy about.
