By Steve Levine
Published: June 5, 2026
Status
Lawsuit Filed — No Settlement
filed April 29, 2026 in C.D. Cal. · allegations only · Costco not found liable
Case
Turner v. Costco · 8:26-cv-01013
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Product
Kirkland Five Cheese Tortelloni
Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano (frozen)
Claim Form?
No — Nothing to File Yet
no payout and no claims process; keep any receipt in case that changes
What Is the Costco Tortelloni Class Action Lawsuit About?
A Costco tortelloni class action lawsuit alleges that Costco falsely labeled its Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano as "no preservatives" even though the product allegedly contains manufactured citric acid — an ingredient the complaint says functions as a preservative and is produced through industrial fermentation and chemical processing. The case, captioned Sydney Turner v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, Case No. 8:26-cv-01013, was filed on April 29, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.This is a pending lawsuit, not a settlement. There is no settlement fund, no payout, and no claim form. The allegations described on this page come from the complaint and have not been proven in court. Costco has not been found liable, no class has been certified, and there is nothing for shoppers to claim at this time. This page tracks the case so you can follow what happens next.
No Costco tortelloni claim form is available at this time. The case is still pending, and consumers generally cannot submit claims unless a settlement is reached and approved by the court. Anyone telling you that you can sign up today for a guaranteed Costco tortelloni payment is not describing this lawsuit accurately.
Which Costco Product Is Named in the Lawsuit?
The complaint names a single product: Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano, a frozen pasta sold under Costco's Kirkland Signature store brand. According to the complaint, the named plaintiff, Sydney Turner, bought the product in person at Costco in or around December 2023 while residing in Fountain Valley, California.The lawsuit is built entirely around the front-of-package statement. The complaint alleges that Costco "uniformly" places a "no preservatives" representation on the front label of the product, which the complaint says gives reasonable shoppers the impression that the tortelloni is free from artificial preservatives. The complaint then alleges that the ingredient list on the back panel discloses manufactured citric acid. The case does not allege the product is unsafe to eat; it is a labeling and "price premium" case — the theory is that shoppers paid more than they otherwise would have because of an allegedly misleading front label.
People search for this case as both "tortelloni" and "tortellini." The product is spelled tortelloni on the package (a larger, stuffed pasta), but many shoppers type tortellini. Both terms point to the same Costco lawsuit — more on that below.
What Does the Lawsuit Claim About "No Preservatives"?
According to the complaint, the dispute comes down to citric acid. The lawsuit alleges that:• The front label says "no preservatives," but the back-panel ingredient list discloses citric acid.
• The citric acid used in commercial food production is, the complaint alleges, "manufactured citric acid" — produced industrially through fermentation using a mold called Aspergillus niger and recovered through chemical processing — rather than citric acid extracted from fruit.
• The complaint alleges that citric acid functions as a preservative, and cites the FDA's definition of a chemical preservative and government labeling guidance that lists citric acid among common chemical preservatives.
• Because of that, the complaint alleges, a "no preservatives" claim is false or misleading to a reasonable consumer.
Those are the plaintiff's allegations. They have not been tested in court, and Costco has not yet responded to the complaint. Costco is expected to deny the allegations and may argue, among other things, that the label is accurate, that citric acid in the product is used for flavor rather than preservation, and that no reasonable consumer was misled. Nothing here is a finding of fact against Costco.
Is There a Costco Tortelloni Settlement?
No. There is no Costco tortelloni settlement. No settlement has been announced, no settlement fund exists, and no court has approved any payment. This is an active complaint at the earliest stage of litigation. If the parties ever reach a settlement, it would need to be filed with the court and receive preliminary and final approval before any money is distributed — a process that typically takes many months or years, and only if the case is not dismissed first.Is There a Costco Tortelloni Claim Form?
No. There is no Costco tortelloni claim form, and there is nothing to submit right now. Claim forms only exist after a settlement is reached and a court approves a claims process, including an official claims website and instructions. Because this case is still at the complaint stage, no such website or form exists. If that changes, OCA will update this page.If you do come across a website asking for your personal or payment information to "claim your Costco tortelloni money," treat it with caution. Newly filed class actions frequently attract copycat or scam sites; there is no legitimate Costco tortelloni claim process at this time.
Can Costco Shoppers Sign Up for Money Yet?
No. There is no payout available and no way to sign up for money in this case right now. At the complaint stage, class members do not need to take any action and cannot file a claim. The most a shopper can do is keep any proof of purchase (a Costco receipt or membership purchase history) in case the case eventually settles and a claims process is created — though even then, many food-labeling settlements allow a limited number of claims without a receipt. Holding onto a receipt is optional and is not required to follow the case.Who Could Be Included If the Case Becomes a Settlement?
The complaint proposes several overlapping classes. These are proposed definitions only; no class has been certified, and the court has not approved any of them. As described in the complaint:• Nationwide Class: all U.S. purchasers of the product within the applicable limitations period.
• Multi-State Consumer Protection Subclass: purchasers in a long list of states (and the District of Columbia) with similar consumer-protection statutes.
• Multi-State Warranty Subclass: purchasers in states with similar express warranty laws.
• California Subclass: California purchasers who bought the product for personal use.
The complaint estimates the class could include millions of consumers and asserts more than $5 million is at stake (the threshold for federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act). Final class definitions, if the case gets that far, would be set by the court or in a settlement notice.
Tortelloni vs. Tortellini: Why Both Search Terms Matter
The product at issue is spelled tortelloni on the package. Tortelloni and tortellini are both stuffed, ring-shaped Italian pastas; tortelloni are simply the larger version. Because the two words look and sound almost identical, many shoppers searching for this case type "Costco tortellini class action" or "Kirkland tortellini lawsuit" instead. They are looking for the same case. If you bought the Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano and are searching under either spelling, this is the lawsuit you are looking for. There is no separate Costco "tortellini" class action — it is the same complaint described on this page.What Happens Next in the Costco Tortelloni Lawsuit?
The case is at the very start. Typical next steps in a consumer food-labeling case like this include:• Costco's response. Costco will be served and will likely file an answer or, more commonly in these cases, a motion to dismiss arguing the complaint fails to state a claim.
• Motion practice. The court rules on any motion to dismiss. Many food-labeling cases are narrowed or dismissed at this stage; others survive and move forward.
• Discovery and class certification. If the case proceeds, the parties exchange evidence and the plaintiff moves to certify a class under Rule 23. Certification decisions often come 12 to 24 months after filing.
• Settlement or trial. Many consumer cases settle; others are dismissed or litigated. Only if a settlement is reached and approved — or the plaintiff prevails — would there be any payout or claims process.
None of these steps has happened yet. There is no scheduled payout, no claim deadline, and no settlement hearing. OCA will update this page as the docket moves.
Has Costco Been Found Liable?
No. Costco has not been found liable and has not admitted any wrongdoing. The lawsuit contains allegations, not proven facts. A complaint is only one side's version of events; Costco has the right to respond, contest the claims, and defend the labeling. Unless and until a court or a settlement says otherwise, the "no preservatives" allegations remain unproven. This article reports what the complaint alleges; it is not legal advice and is not a statement that Costco did anything wrong.How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:Official Class Action Complaint (Court Document)
Costco Tortelloni Lawsuit FAQ
Is there a Costco tortelloni class action settlement?
No. This is a newly filed complaint, not a settlement. There is no settlement fund, no payout, and no claim form. The allegations have not been proven and Costco has not been found liable.
Is there a Costco tortelloni claim form?
No. No claim form is available at this time. The case is still pending, and consumers generally cannot submit claims unless a settlement is reached and approved by the court.
What product is included in the Costco tortelloni lawsuit?
One product: Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano, a frozen pasta sold at Costco. The case focuses on the "no preservatives" statement on the front of the package.
What does the Costco lawsuit allege?
The complaint alleges the "no preservatives" front label is false or misleading because the ingredient list discloses manufactured citric acid, which the complaint says functions as a preservative and is made through industrial fermentation and chemical processing. These are unproven allegations.
Can I get money from the Costco tortelloni lawsuit?
Not at this time. There is no settlement, no payout, and no claim process. If the case is certified and later settles or wins, a payout could follow, but that outcome is not guaranteed and would likely be a long way off.
Has Costco been found liable?
No. The lawsuit is at the complaint stage. The allegations have not been proven, no class has been certified, and Costco is expected to deny wrongdoing and may move to dismiss the case.
Who filed the Costco tortelloni lawsuit?
The named plaintiff is Sydney Turner, a California consumer who says she bought the product in or around December 2023 in Fountain Valley, California. She is represented by Gucovschi Law Firm, PLLC and sues on behalf of proposed nationwide, multi-state, and California classes.
What is the case number?
The case number is 8:26-cv-01013, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case is captioned Sydney Turner v. Costco Wholesale Corporation and was filed on April 29, 2026.
Sources
• Sydney Turner v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, Case No. 8:26-cv-01013, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Class Action Complaint filed April 29, 2026)• FDA — Overview of Food Ingredients, Additives & Colors
• 21 C.F.R. § 101.22 — Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
• USDA FSIS — Guideline for Label Approval
• Plaintiff's Counsel: Gucovschi Law Firm, PLLC (Adrian Gucovschi; Nathaniel H. Sari)
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This page covers a newly filed class action complaint. The allegations described
above have not been proven in court. Costco has not been found liable, has not
admitted wrongdoing, and is expected to deny the claims. There is no settlement, no
settlement fund, and no claim form. Any potential recovery for class members would
be a long way off and is not guaranteed.
About This Page
This page summarizes the Costco tortelloni class action complaint in Sydney Turner v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, 8:26-cv-01013 (C.D. Cal.). OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not a law firm, claims administrator, or party to this case. The allegations in the complaint have not been proven in court, and Costco denies wrongdoing. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about how this case may affect you personally, contact a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Social Media Addiction
Status: Open
Pre-Qualify
Roblox - Investigation
Pre-Qualify Here
Submit Claim
$1.1M Team Group RAM Settlement
Pro Rata Cash · No Proof for Up to 5 Modules
Submit Claim
$68M Google Assistant Settlement
Deadline: August 27, 2026
Submit Claim
$87.5M Beef Prices Settlement
Deadline: June 30, 2026
Submit Claim
$8.25M Google Play Kids' Privacy Settlement
Est. $40–$200 Cash · No Proof Required
Submit Claim| Costco Tortelloni Case Snapshot | |
| Status | Lawsuit Filed — No Settlement, No Claim Form |
|---|---|
| Case Title | Sydney Turner v. Costco Wholesale Corporation |
| Case Number | 8:26-cv-01013 |
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California |
| Filing Date | April 29, 2026 |
| Plaintiff | Sydney Turner (Fountain Valley, California) |
| Defendant | Costco Wholesale Corporation (Issaquah, Washington) |
| Plaintiff's Counsel | Gucovschi Law Firm, PLLC |
| Product | Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano (frozen pasta) |
| What's Alleged | The "no preservatives" front label is false or misleading because the product allegedly contains manufactured citric acid |
| Counts | Unfair Competition (UCL); False Advertising (FAL); Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA); breach of express & implied warranty; negligent and intentional misrepresentation/fraud; multi-state consumer protection statutes; unjust enrichment |
| Proposed Classes | Nationwide; Multi-State Consumer Protection; Multi-State Warranty; California — none certified |
| Amount in Controversy | Alleged to exceed $5 million (CAFA threshold) |
| Is There a Claim Form? | No. There is no settlement and no claim form. Class members do not need to take action at this stage. |
| Potential Payout | None at this time. No settlement has been reached. |
| Category | News / Class Action Complaint / Food Labeling / Costco / Kirkland Signature |