San Francisco Sues Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Others Over 'Ultra-Processed' Products: Lawsuit

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San Francisco Sues Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Others Over 'Ultra-Processed' Products: Lawsuit

By Moná Thomas, People Magazine

December 4, 2025

• San Francisco sues major food manufacturers for public health harms tied to ultra-processed foods

• Lawsuit claims companies knowingly engineered addictive products and targeted vulnerable communities

• City seeks restitution, civil penalties and injunctions to curb deceptive marketing and health impacts

The city of San Francisco is taking some of the nation’s largest food brands to court in a unique lawsuit, claiming the companies knowingly contributed to a public health crisis while profiting from addictive products.

The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday, Dec. 2, names Kraft Heinz, Mondelez International, Post Holdings, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestle USA, Kellogg, Mars and ConAgra Brands, according to legal documents viewed by PEOPLE.

“These companies created a public health crisis with the engineering and marketing of ultra-processed foods,” City Attorney David Chiu said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “They took food and made it unrecognizable and harmful to the human body. We must be clear that this is not about consumers making better choices."

The lawsuit describes "ultra-processed foods" as products made from former whole foods that have been chemically modified, combined with additives and reassembled using industrial techniques. Examples include candies, chips, processed meats, sodas, boxed macaroni and cheese and many breakfast cereals. The filings argue that these products are engineered to drive cravings and overconsumption, creating health risks beyond their nutritional content.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie emphasized the city’s role in protecting residents. “San Francisco families deserve to know what’s in their food. We’re not going to let our residents be misled about the products in our grocery stores. We are going to stand up for public health and give parents the information they need to keep themselves and their kids safe and healthy,” he said in a statement.

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Legal documents viewed by PEOPLE claim that the consolidation of the food industry in the 1970s and 1980s concentrated power in a handful of corporations, making ultra-processed foods the majority of the U.S. food supply. A study published earlier this year revealed that roughly 70 percent of grocery store products fall into this category. Over the same period, Americans have seen spikes in obesity, Type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease, with studies linking these outcomes to regular consumption of ultra-processed foods.

“This lawsuit is a critical step toward protecting the health of our communities,” said San Francisco Director of Health Daniel Tsai. “These products are engineered to be addictive, disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of color, and contribute to rising rates of chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease and cancer."

PEOPLE reached out to Kraft Heinz, Mondelez International, Post Holdings, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestle USA, Kellogg, Mars and ConAgra Brands for comment and did not receive an immediate response.

The complaint draws parallels to Big Tobacco, describing how food companies adopted similar strategies to make their products addictive and target children and marginalized communities. Internal meetings cited in the filings allege executives were aware of the public health consequences decades ago, and continued production and marketing regardless.

University of California, San Francisco Associate Clinical Professor Dr. Kim Newell-Green added, “Mounting research now links these products to serious diseases ... even depression at younger ages. Today’s lawsuit is an important step toward holding food companies accountable for profiting from products that put our health at risk.”

Filed on behalf of the People of the State of California, the lawsuit seeks to stop deceptive marketing practices, secure restitution and civil penalties and require companies to take action to mitigate the harms caused by their products.

“For decades, our communities have paid the price for an industry that put profit ahead of people,” said San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton. “San Franciscans deserve transparency, real accountability, and a food system that prioritizes health instead of corporate profit.”