San Francisco to take legal action against food giants for ultra-processed products

San Francisco is preparing to launch the nations first government lawsuit targeting manufacturers of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), arguing that local communities have been left to cover the healthcare expenses tied to illnesses linked to widespread consumption of these products.

City attorney David Chiu told the New York Times that the suit will name ten companies responsible for producing many of the countrys most widely consumed items including chicken nuggets, frozen pizzas, potato chips, sugary cereals, as well as breads and granola bars often promoted as healthy.

Ultra-processed foods are industrial products containing ingredients rarely found in home kitchens, such as preservatives, artificial colors, flavor enhancers, and emulsifiers, while offering minimal whole-food nutrition. More than 70% of the U.S. food supply is estimated to fall into this category, and children receive over 60% of their daily calories from such items.

A comprehensive global review released last month reported that UPFs are linked to negative effects across every major organ system and represent a significant threat to public health. These foods have been associated with higher risks of cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, heart disease, and cognitive decline. The review also concluded that global corporations play a primary role in driving UPF consumption.

The lawsuit, to be filed in San Francisco superior court on behalf of the state of California, seeks unspecified damages to compensate for the public costs required to treat health conditions caused by ultra-processed food. The city alleges that the companies engaged in unfair and deceptive acts through their marketing and sales tactics, violating Californias unfair competition laws and contributing to public harm. It further claims the companies continued to sell products they knew were detrimental to consumers health.

Its disturbing that generations of parents and children are being misled into buying products that barely qualify as food, Chiu said.

The move unexpectedly aligns San Francisco with a stance publicly held by Donald Trumps health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has criticized UPFs as part of his Make America Healthy Again campaign, urging Americans to avoid foods high in added sugar, fat, salt, dyes, and preservatives. Chiu emphasized that he disagrees with Kennedy on other issues but noted that the scientific evidence regarding ultra-processed foods is clear.

The lawsuit names several major corporations, including the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, Post Holdings, Mondelez International, General Mills, Nestl USA, Kellogg, Mars Incorporated, and ConAgra Brands.

Earlier this year, California enacted bipartisan legislation establishing the first legal definition of UPFs in the United States and laying groundwork for removing them from school environments. The state has also prohibited several additives linked to behavioral concerns in children within school settings. San Francisco has a history of public health regulations, including its 2010 ban on free toys in fast-food meals, and has previously won major cases involving tobacco, lead paint, and opioid manufacturers.

Author: Olivia Parker