Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
Frozen berries sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's recalled
Recall announced
A report by KPLC 7 News stated that frozen berries sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's have been recalled. The article headline does not name the recalling company or specify the recall date or hazard. No further details about the recall were provided in the available information.
Source excerpt
Frozen berries sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s recalled
2026
Trader Joe's jalapeño recall controversy
Recall announced
Following a recall by Coast Citrus Distributors of fresh jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, downstream recalls are being conducted for recalled jalapeños and products containing them. Whole Foods Market recalled salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared products containing jalapeños sold online and in stores across multiple states, and Taylor Fresh Foods recalled multiple products containing recalled jalapeños distributed to retail distribution centers in numerous states. Stores that received recalled products include Hannaford, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will fill orders from alternative suppliers. FSIS also issued a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Company response
Recall — Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market recall (8/12)
Recall — Taylor Fresh Foods
Taylor Fresh Foods recall (8/9)
Remediation — Taylor Fresh Foods
Source excerpt
As a result of the recall by Coast Citrus Distributors, downstream recalls are being conducted for recalled jalapeños and products containing recalled jalapeños.
2026
Trader Joe's jalapeño-containing products included in Taylor Fresh Foods Salmonella recall
Recall announced
Taylor Fresh Foods recalled 20 prepared food products containing jalapeños due to possible Salmonella contamination. Sixteen of the products were distributed to Texas retailers, including Trader Joe's, Kroger, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods. The recall followed a supplier recall by Coast Citrus Distributors of fresh jalapeños linked to a multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak. Taylor Fresh Foods said it stopped sourcing peppers from the implicated grower in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Company response
Recall — Taylor Farms
這家總部位於加州的食品供應商9日表示，在接獲分銷商Coast Citrus通知、得知該公司正在召回新鮮墨西哥辣椒後，決定自願召包括莎莎醬（salsas）及牛油果醬（guacamole）在內的產品。
Remediation — Taylor Farms
公司在聲明中表示，公司已停止向墨西哥錫那羅亞州（Sinaloa）一名被認定為此次沙門氏菌疫情潛在源頭的農戶採購產品。
Source excerpt
由於擔心產品可能受到沙門氏菌污染，食品公司Taylor Farms正在全美大約20個州召回部分含墨西哥辣椒（jalapeños）的預製食品，涉及零售店包括沃爾瑪（Walmart）、Kroger及Whole Foods等。
當局對此次沙門氏菌疫情的調查發現，包括墨西哥燒烤連鎖餐廳Chipotle和墨西哥風味連鎖餐廳Qdoba在內的多家餐廳，都曾收到由Coast Citrus進口的墨西哥辣椒。
公司在聲明中表示，公司已停止向墨西哥錫那羅亞州（Sinaloa）一名被認定為此次沙門氏菌疫情潛在源頭的農戶採購產品。
2026
Consumers sue Trader Joe’s over alleged E. coli contamination
Lawsuit filed
Two women sued Trader Joe’s Co., alleging that Tarragon Chicken Salad Wraps purchased at its stores were contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and that the product was linked to their illnesses. The allegations are not presented as a court determination.
Company response
Apology — Almark Foods
We apologize for this extremely rare safety lapse and we're making every effort to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.
Remediation — Trader Joe’s
All affected products have been removed from store shelves.
Refund or compensation — Trader Joe’s
Those who have purchased these products are encouraged to throw it away or return it to any Trader Joe’s location for a full refund.
Recall — Fuji Food Products
Source excerpt
Attorneys at food safety law firm Marler Clark have filed a lawsuit on behalf of Gayle Gottlieb of Pembroke, North Carolina, and a Massachusetts woman against Trader Joe's Co. in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The complaint alleges that Tarragon Chicken Salad Wraps purchased at Trader Joe's stores in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Allston, Massachusetts, in late August were contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
Satre filed suit against the company Wednesday, saying her firing was whistle blower retaliation and associational race discrimination.
2022
Union Square wine shop closure and alleged union avoidance
Trader Joe's closed its only New York wine shop shortly before workers were expected to pursue a union election. Workers and labor advocates alleged that the timing indicated union avoidance, while Trader Joe's said the store was underperforming and that it was seeking a better use of its New York wine license. The competing explanations were not resolved by an adjudicated finding in the cited reporting.
2021
Trader Joe's chicken products recalled after bone fragments found
Recall announced
Trader Joe's stores recalled chicken products after bone pieces were discovered. The recall affected the Chile Lime Chicken Burgers and Spinach Feta Chicken Sliders and was carried out by manufacturer Innovative Solutions; the article reports no confirmed adverse reactions.
Company response
Recall — Innovative Solutions
Reports of consumers finding bone fragments in the chile lime burger product resulted in almost 100,000 pounds of potentially contaminated raw chicken being recalled by Washington-based manufacturer Innovative Solutions, which produced the product.
Source excerpt
There were no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from eating the products, according to the service.
The Trader Joe's Chile Lime Chicken Burgers and Spinach Feta Chicken Sliders sold in Rancho Santa Margarita were recalled Wednesday.
Reports of consumers finding bone fragments in the chile lime burger product resulted in almost 100,000 pounds of potentially contaminated raw chicken being recalled by Washington-based manufacturer Innovative Solutions, which produced the product.
2020
Criticism of culturally themed product labels
A petition criticized Trader Joe's use of names based on national or ethnic stereotypes for selected private-label products. The company said the names were intended playfully, noted that some were already being replaced, and rejected the assertion that all such labels were racist. The episode highlighted tension between the brand's long-standing humor and changing expectations around cultural representation.
2020
Trader Joe's responds to petition over international food branding
Company response
Trader Joe's responded to a petition concerning the branding of its international food products, stating that the names may have an effect contrary to the welcoming customer experience the company seeks to create. A spokesperson said the company had been changing the branding for several years to use only the Trader Joe's label and expected the work to be completed very soon.
Trader Joe's responded to the petition, saying the names may have an effect contrary to the welcoming customer experience it seeks to create. Its spokesperson said the company had been changing the branding for several years to use only the Trader Joe's label and expected the work to be completed very soon.
Stated objective. The spokesperson described the desired customer experience as welcoming and rewarding.
Company response
Clarification — Trader Joe's
Friend-Daniel said in the statement that the company had already been in the process of changing its branding for several years to use only the Trader Joe's label.
Source excerpt
While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,
At this time, I don't have an exact date, but we expect to have the work completed very soon,
Trader Joe's responded to an online petition calling for the removal of "racist" packaging from its international foods, saying that it has already been in the process of phasing it out for several years.
2018
Cage-free egg labeling lawsuit
The Animal Legal Defense Fund brought a consumer-protection lawsuit alleging that Trader Joe's cage-free egg cartons depicted hens in pastoral outdoor settings that could mislead consumers about actual housing conditions. The case settled with a nationwide packaging change.
2016
Refrigerant and Clean Air Act settlement
The EPA and Department of Justice alleged that Trader Joe's failed to promptly repair leaks and maintain adequate records for refrigeration equipment using ozone-depleting and high-global-warming-potential refrigerants. The settlement included a $500,000 civil penalty and an estimated $2 million in compliance and equipment-related spending over three years.
2014
Portland gentrification controversy
Trader Joe's withdrew a proposed store in Portland's historically Black Albina neighborhood after community opposition focused on a proposed $2.4 million public subsidy, displacement, and the city's history of African American displacement. Organizers said their objection was directed at the development and policy context rather than at Trader Joe's products or the company alone.