San Francisco Sues Major Food Companies Over Ultra-Processed Products

San Francisco filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday against 10 major food companies, claiming they create dangerous ultra-processed foods with deceptive marketing. Attorney David Chiu filed the case in San Francisco County Superior Court, accusing the companies of causing a healthcare crisis. “Like the tobacco industry, they knew their products made people very sick but hid the truth from the public, profited from untold billions and left Americans to deal with the consequences,” Chiu said during a news conference. The lawsuit targets Kraft Heinz Co., The Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, General Mills, Post Holdings, Mondelez International, Nestle USA, ConAgra Brands, Mars Inc. and the Kellogg Co. Chiu claims these foods cause cancer, type 2 diabetes and depression. A 2024 study found people consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods face higher premature death risks. (Story URL)