El Paso County shopper sues Walmart over allegedly partly uncooked bread

A Colorado Springs man filed a lawsuit in El Paso County District Court on Feb. 3, 2026, alleging he was hospitalized after eating a Marketside take-and-bake loaf purchased at a Walmart store. The complaint names Walmart and Anthony & Sons Italian Bakery as defendants and describes packaging and labeling practices that the plaintiff says led him to believe the bread was ready to eat.

The complaint says plaintiff Jordan Douglas purchased the Marketside product on Sept. 22, 2025, at a Colorado Springs Walmart and ate the loaf the next day during his lunch break. The filing alleges a store-generated sell-by sticker was placed over and obscured the bake-at-home preparation instructions, and that the bread’s packaging “did not adequately communicate the risks of eating the partially baked bread.” The complaint also states, “The bread appeared substantially baked and indistinguishable from ready-to-eat bread products.”

Later on Sept. 23, the suit says Douglas suffered “severe abdominal pain” and was taken to the hospital that same day. He was hospitalized for three days and, according to the complaint quoted in multiple reports, experienced pain and repeated vomiting. The filing includes the line, “Diagnostic imaging revealed a gastrointestinal obstruction caused by expansion of uncooked dough.” One report identified the hospital as UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central.

Douglas’s complaint seeks compensatory damages for medical costs, lost wages and suffering, with Westword reporting that the lawsuit alleges “substantial medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.” No dollar amount is specified in the filing.

Plaintiff’s attorney Jeffrey Scott Lasswell declined to provide photos of the packaging or comment on Douglas’s current condition. Lasswell said, “Because this case is in its early stages and remains in active litigation, I am not able to comment on specific facts, medical information, or evidence. The allegations and claims are set forth in the public court filings, which speak for themselves, and I will address the merits of the case through the judicial process rather than in the media.” No statement from Walmart or Anthony & Sons Italian Bakery is included in the reported excerpts.

For Walmart store associates and bakery suppliers, the lawsuit spotlights how in-store handling of packaged take-and-bake items can affect consumer safety and store liability. If the complaint’s allegations are borne out, practices such as where sell-by stickers are applied and how bake-at-home products are displayed could become the focus of internal training, store audits and supplier agreements. Frontline employees who apply pricing and date labels may face closer scrutiny, and store managers may need clearer guidance to avoid obscuring preparation instructions.

The case remains in early litigation in El Paso County District Court; its outcome could influence how retailers and suppliers label and merchandize partially baked products and how employers train workers who handle price and sell-by labeling.