Try what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
The town of San Francisco is suing 10 main meals producers — together with Kraft Heinz and Coca-Cola — accusing them of knowingly fueling a public well being disaster with ultraprocessed meals.
Metropolis Lawyer David Chiu filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Courtroom on Tuesday, arguing that ultraprocessed meals are linked to ailments resembling Kind 2 diabetes, fatty liver illness and most cancers.
“They took meals and made it unrecognizable and dangerous to the human physique,” Chiu mentioned in a information launch. “These corporations engineered a public well being disaster, they profited handsomely, and now they should take accountability for the hurt they’ve precipitated.”
The opposite corporations named within the lawsuit are PepsiCo, Put up Holdings, Mondelez Worldwide, Normal Mills, Nestle USA, Kellogg, Mars Included and ConAgra Manufacturers.
‘ADDICTIVE’ ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS LINKED TO SPIKE IN CHRONIC DISEASE, RESEARCHERS WARN
Bottles of Coca Cola are displayed on a shelf in a grocery store Oct. 29, 2024. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photograph / Reuters Photographs)
The lawsuit alleges the businesses used techniques much like the tobacco trade, designing and advertising and marketing merchandise to addict customers. It accuses the producers of violating California legal guidelines on public nuisance and misleading advertising and marketing.
As ultraprocessed meals have unfold, charges of weight problems, most cancers, and diabetes have climbed, the swimsuit claims. Chiu’s workplace notes that coronary heart illness and diabetes—each linked to ultraprocessed meals—are amongst San Francisco’s main causes of demise, with increased charges in minority and low-income communities.
Mondelez Worldwide’s Oreo biscuits are seen on this illustration image taken July 26, 2021. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photograph / Reuters Photographs)
Fox Enterprise reached out to all 10 corporations named within the lawsuit however didn’t instantly hear again.
SPIKE IN DEADLY CANCER BEFORE 50 LINKED TO COMMON CONVENIENCE FOODS
Sarah Gallo, senior vice chairman of product coverage for the Client Manufacturers Affiliation, which represents lots of the corporations, informed Reuters in an announcement that there “is at the moment no agreed upon scientific definition of ultraprocessed meals and making an attempt to categorise meals as unhealthy just because they’re processed, or demonizing meals by ignoring its full nutrient content material, misleads customers and exacerbates well being disparities.”
Packets of M&M’s sweets are seen on the manufacturing line of sweet and chocolate maker Mars Chocolate France’s plant in Haguenau, jap France, Dec. 13, 2011. (Reuters/Vincent Kessler / Reuters Photographs)
San Francisco’s lawsuit cites a number of scientific research linking ultraprocessed meals to dangerous well being results.
“Mounting analysis now hyperlinks these merchandise to critical ailments — together with Kind 2 diabetes, fatty liver illness, coronary heart illness, colorectal most cancers, and even melancholy at youthful ages,” College of California, San Francisco, professor Kim Newell-Inexperienced mentioned within the information launch.
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran and Corn Flakes cereal is displayed at a grocery retailer in Encinitas, California, on July 10, 2025. (Reuters/Mike Blake / Reuters Photographs)
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE ARE MORE CHILDREN IN THE WORLD WHO ARE OBESE THAN UNDERWEIGHT
A Could report from U.S. Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mentioned the Trump administration had recognized ultraprocessed meals as a driver of continual sickness in American youngsters.
In August, a U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention discovered the vast majority of Individuals get greater than half of their every day energy from ultra-processed meals, with hamburgers and sandwiches, candy bakery merchandise, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks being among the many prime sources.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
San Francisco’s case is the primary municipal lawsuit claiming meals corporations knowingly marketed addictive and dangerous ultraprocessed meals.
The town seeks restitution and civil penalties to offset healthcare prices, together with a court docket order barring misleading advertising and marketing and forcing the businesses to vary their practices.