San Francisco Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Major Ultra-Processed Food Manufacturers

City Attorney Alleges Public Health Crisis

The City and County of San Francisco, led by City Attorney David Chiu, filed a groundbreaking lawsuit on December 2, 2025, against ten of the nation's largest ultra-processed food (UPF) manufacturers. The lawsuit, lodged in San Francisco Superior Court, accuses these companies of creating a public health crisis through the deliberate engineering and marketing of harmful and addictive food products.

The defendants named in the suit include Kraft Heinz Company, Mondelez International, Post Holdings, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestle USA, Kellogg, Mars Incorporated, and ConAgra Brands. City Attorney Chiu stated, 'These companies created a public health crisis with the engineering and marketing of ultra-processed foods. They took food and made it unrecognizable and harmful to the human body.'

Allegations of Deceptive Practices and Health Impacts

The lawsuit contends that these manufacturers knowingly designed their products to be 'cheap, colorful, flavorful, and addictive,' while concealing the truth about their detrimental health effects. San Francisco alleges that the companies' marketing strategies disproportionately targeted vulnerable populations, including children, low-income communities, and communities of color. This approach, according to the city, mirrors tactics previously employed by the tobacco industry.

The city highlights a wide array of serious health conditions allegedly linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, depression, and cognitive decline. A recent comprehensive review reportedly found that UPFs are associated with harm to every major organ system and an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes. The lawsuit argues that these practices violate California's Unfair Competition Law and public nuisance statute.

Seeking Restitution and Corrective Action

San Francisco is seeking a court order to enjoin the defendant companies from continuing their alleged deceptive marketing practices. Furthermore, the city demands that the manufacturers take corrective actions to mitigate the effects of their behavior. A key component of the lawsuit is the pursuit of restitution and civil penalties to help local governments offset the 'astronomical healthcare costs' associated with the treatment of diseases linked to ultra-processed food consumption.

The lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the national conversation surrounding the health impacts of processed foods. While the Consumer Brands Association, an industry trade group, has stated there is no agreed-upon scientific definition of 'ultra-processed' and that manufacturers adhere to safety standards, San Francisco's action represents the first government-led litigation of its kind in the United States.