Overview
- Filed in San Francisco Superior Court on Dec. 2, the first-of-its-kind government lawsuit seeks injunctions against deceptive marketing, corrective actions and monetary relief under California unfair-competition and public-nuisance laws.
- The defendants include Kraft Heinz, Mondelēz, Post Holdings, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé USA, Kellogg/Kellanova, Mars and Conagra Brands.
- The complaint alleges tobacco-style practices, claiming companies engineered products to promote overconsumption, made them addictive, and targeted children as well as low-income and minority communities.
- City officials cite mounting research linking high intake of ultra-processed foods to Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer and depression, noting such products make up roughly 70% of the U.S. food supply.
- The Consumer Brands Association disputes the lawsuit’s foundation, saying there is no agreed scientific definition and pointing to FDA safety standards and reformulation efforts, as federal and state policymakers explore defining and limiting ultra-processed foods.