San Francisco Takes Legal Aim at Ultra-Processed Food Giants

San Francisco has filed a landmark lawsuit against some of the world’s most influential food manufacturers — including Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, and Kellogg — accusing them of engineering ultra-processed foods that have driven obesity, diabetes, and chronic illness across the United States.

City Attorney David Chiu alleges these companies created a public health crisis by producing chemically modified foods packed with additives and marketed aggressively, especially to children.

The lawsuit claims that 70% of items on U.S. grocery shelves fall into the ultra-processed category and argues that companies knowingly profited while Americans, particularly young people, suffered long-term health consequences.

The action aligns with the Make America Healthy Again movement led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy, who has repeatedly criticized processed foods as “poison.”

Industry leaders reject the claims, saying no scientific consensus exists on what qualifies as ultra-processed and arguing that manufacturers follow strict safety standards.