In a historic move, San Francisco’s city attorney has filed a sweeping lawsuit against several of the nation’s largest manufacturers of ultra-processed foods, alleging the companies knowingly contributed to widespread chronic illness in the United States.
The lawsuit—according to ABC News—targets 10 major food and beverage corporations: Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, Post, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé, Kellanova, Kellogg, Mars, and ConAgra.
City Attorney David Chiu announced the legal action Tuesday at a press conference inside San Francisco City Hall, standing beside a table covered with well-known products, including crackers, cereals, frozen meals, and packaged desserts.
Chiu said the California Superior Court filing seeks to hold the companies accountable for “unfair and deceptive practices” and for violating the state’s unfair competition and public nuisance laws. He argued the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods has fueled a national health crisis that has burdened cities with escalating medical costs.
“We have reached a tipping point in the scientific research about the harm of these products,” Chiu said, referencing recent studies—including newly published Lancet papers—that he said establish a “very clear link” between ultra-processed foods and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart and kidney disease, colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, and depression.
“The makers of America’s trusted household brands support Americans in making healthier choices and enhancing product transparency,” said Sarah Gallo, the association’s senior vice president of product policy. She noted that many manufacturers have introduced healthier options—boosting protein and fiber, reducing sugars and sodium, and removing synthetic color additives.
Gallo also pushed back on the lawsuit’s premise, saying, “There is currently no agreed-upon scientific definition of ultra-processed foods, and attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities.”
