FACT CHECK: Did Costco Recall Kirkland Toilet Paper Due To Coronavirus Contamination?

Jonathan Fonti | Fact Check Reporter

An image shared on Facebook claims Costco issued a recall of its Kirkland Signature brand toilet paper because it has been contaminated with the novel coronavirus.

Verdict: False

There is no record of Costco issuing a coronavirus-related bath tissue recall. The notice letter appears to have been fabricated.

Fact Check:

The claim that Costco issued a recall of its Kirkland Signature brand bath tissue went viral over the weekend amid the ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This particular post features an alleged letter from the wholesale retailer notifying shoppers of the recall.

“Due to recent global events our bath tissue has been contaminated with Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19),” reads part of the supposed notice. “The bath tissue has been contaminated due to the item being manufactured in China.”

The notice contains several spelling and grammatical errors and offers no means of contacting the manufacturer, making it immediately suspect.

Costco publicly lists current and past recall notices on its website. A search of that list turned up no recalls of Kirkland Signature brand bath tissue in the previous 120 days. Nor do any notices appear in the Consumer Product Safety Commission database.

The wholesale retailer has not issued any coronavirus-related recalls to date. (RELATED: Viral Post Claims Mexico Doesn’t Have Any Coronavirus Cases)

COVID-19 primarily spreads from person-to-person through respiratory droplets but can also be spread through contact with infected surfaces, according to the World Health Organization. A recent study by U.S. government researchers found that the virus can survive up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to several days on plastic.

However, there is “no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Jonathan Fonti

Fact Check Reporter
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