San Francisco Files Lawsuit Against Coca-Cola: What Triggered the Case

The authorities of San Francisco have initiated legal proceedings against major food manufacturers, stating that ultra-processed foods (UPF) pose a serious threat to the health of Americans. The lawsuit was filed on December 2 and names ten corporations — Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz Company, Post Holdings, Mondelez International, General Mills, Kellogg, Mars Incorporated, and ConAgra Brands, ABC News reports.

City Attorney David Chiu argues that these companies have spent years creating conditions that led to a “public health crisis,” earning billions of dollars in profit and now needing to be held accountable. He noted that UPFs include sugary soft drinks, chips, candies, processed meats, breakfast cereals, and energy drinks — products that contain almost no whole ingredients. According to authorities, frequent consumption of such foods is associated with increasing rates of type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, colorectal cancer, and even depression.

The issue is also being discussed at the federal level. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has included the fight against ultra-processed foods in the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative and is calling for UPFs to be removed from government assistance programs for low-income families.

According to an August report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all calories consumed in the U.S. come from such products. In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first law to gradually phase out certain UPFs from school cafeterias.

City officials argue that the corporations are violating California’s unfair competition laws by using misleading marketing practices. The lawsuit seeks to restrict advertising targeted at children, require manufacturers to warn consumers about health risks, and impose financial penalties to offset the burden on the healthcare system.

Scientific evidence supports the authorities’ concerns. The Lancet previously published the results of a global study showing that ultra-processed foods negatively affect nearly every organ in the human body. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, more than half of the population’s diet consists of UPFs, and among young people and low-income groups, this share reaches 80%.

Researchers from Monash University found that regular consumption of such foods accelerates biological aging: just 200 calories of UPFs — roughly the equivalent of a serving of chicken nuggets — can “add” two months to a person’s biological age. This effect was observed regardless of overall diet quality.

Scientists note that poor diet and lifestyle habits have contributed to the slowdown in life expectancy growth in Europe and the UK. According to Professor Nicholas Steel of the University of East Anglia, rising rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are directly linked to the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods.