Retail giant Costco has announced a recall of nearly 80,000 pounds of butter for the dumbest reason imaginable: they failed to add a label declaring that the product “contains milk.”
In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out an initial recall declaration for 72,900 pounds of butter, both salted and unsalted, from the Kirkland Signature Sweet Cream Butter — citing the fact that the company forgot to include a label informing consumers that the product “contains milk.” This came despite the fact that the butter clearly includes “cream” on the ingredients list, but apparently that was not enough to avoid a recall.
The FDA issued a statement on November 7 classifying the recall as Class II, which is “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” according to the agency’s website.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), milk is one of the top foods that “account for most serious allergic reactions in the United States.”
Social media users were quick to highlight the immense stupidity of the decision, pointing out that any sane person would be fully aware that butter contains milk, especially as “cream” was listed as an ingredient.
“80,000 pounds of Costco butter was just recalled, because the label doesn’t say that it contains milk. It’s butter. News articles are telling people how they can return, or safely dispose of, the butter. It’s butter,” libertarian commentator Spike Cohen wrote in a post on X.
80,000 pounds of Costco butter was just recalled, because the label doesn't say that it contains milk.
It's butter.
News articles are telling people how they can return, or safely dispose of, the butter.
It's butter.
— Spike Cohen (@RealSpikeCohen) November 11, 2024
New Mexico state Sen. Gregg Schmedes (R), who is also a doctor, called out the insane overreach and what he deemed to be a war on dairy.
“The @US_FDA’s crisis of legitimacy worsens today with its butter recall. Yes, they recalled tons of Costco butter because it didn’t say ‘milk allergy’ on the label. The war on dairies MUST END NOW,” he wrote.
The @US_FDA’s crisis of legitimacy worsens today with its butter recall.
Yes, they recalled tons of Costco butter because it didn’t say “milk allergy” on the label. 🤦♂️
The war on dairies MUST END NOW.
— Senator Gregg Schmedes, MD (@gwschmedes) November 11, 2024
“You may think you hate bureaucracy, but there is no way you hate it enough,” another user wrote.
You may think you hate bureaucracy, but there is no way you hate it enough. https://t.co/BNLzBVDy7r pic.twitter.com/rpRlrsLyNZ
— S. Carter McNeese 🦡 (@CarterMcNeese) November 11, 2024
Another user highlighted the insanity of scrutinizing a natural product, butter, while not forcing foods like margarine and other fake butters to add labels informing consumers of all of the toxic chemicals they contain.
“The FDA is forcing Costco to throw out 80,000 lbs of real butter…..because there’s no ‘warning’ it contains milk on the carton. Meanwhile, how many toxic chemicals are in margarine and ‘I Definitely Believe it’s Not Butter?’” the user wrote.
Even people suffering from dietary restrictions thought the decision was crazy, as one user wrote: “As someone with serious dietary restrictions I am sympathetic to this issue but I have to say…this is pretty ridiculous. We all know butter contains milk.”
Costco just recalled 80,000 pounds of butter because they neglected to label it with ‘may contain milk.’
As someone with serious dietary restrictions I am sympathetic to this issue but I have to say…this is pretty ridiculous. We all know butter contains milk. pic.twitter.com/2wdJy55thl
— Kristen Mag (@kristenmag) November 11, 2024
Meanwhile, others had more funny reactions, with one user joking: “Can y’all please safely dispose of it at my house? I have a lot of holiday baking to do.”
Can y’all please safely dispose of it at my house? I have a lot of holiday baking to do.
— cactus girl 🌵 (@cactusncookies) November 11, 2024
“But if the butter is mislabeled, consumers would literally be spreading misinformation—all over their toast, bagels, pancakes, baked potatoes, muffins—it’s too horrific to think about,” another joking response read.
But if the butter is mislabeled, consumers would literally be spreading misinformation—all over their toast, bagels, pancakes, baked potatoes, muffins—it’s too horrific to think about.
— An Utter Boor (@utterboor) November 11, 2024
