Bold claim: San Francisco is taking a stand against ultra-processed foods by suing major food manufacturers, arguing that local governments shoulder the medical costs tied to these products. The city’s attorney, David Chiu, announced plans to sue ten major companies that produce widely consumed items—from chicken nuggets and frozen pizzas to potato chips and sugary cereals—and even some breads and granola bars marketed as “healthy.”
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially manufactured items that typically contain ingredients not found in a home kitchen—preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and emulsifiers—with little to no whole-food content. Estimates suggest UPFs make up more than 70% of the U.S. food supply, and children derive over 60% of their daily calories from these foods.
A comprehensive review published recently linked UPFs to harm across all major organ systems and described them as a significant threat to global health. The review associated UPFs with increased risks for numerous conditions, including cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, heart disease, and cognitive decline. It also argued that global corporations, not individual choices, are driving the UPF surge and that UPFs largely fuel the “chronic disease pandemic” due to profit-focused practices.
Chiu’s lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of California, seeks unspecified damages to cover the costs cities and counties incur treating residents harmed by UPFs. San Francisco accuses the companies of unfair and deceptive acts in their marketing and sales—claims grounded in California’s unfair competition law and public nuisance statute—and contends the firms knew their products could cause harm but marketed them anyway.
Chiu expressed concern that generations of families are being misled into buying foods that aren’t truly nourishing. The filing represents a rare alignment between San Francisco’s liberal leadership and a Republican-leaning administration on a health issue, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—the Trump administration’s health secretary—has criticized UPFs as part of his broader health initiative. Chiu noted he disagrees with Kennedy on other health topics but stands firm on the science surrounding UPFs, saying, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
Defendants named in the lawsuit include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, Post Holdings, Mondelez International, General Mills, Nestlé USA, Kellogg, Mars Incorporated, and ConAgra Brands.
California recently passed a bipartisan measure defining UPFs and laying groundwork for school bans, and the state has already restricted certain food additives, such as color dyes, linked to behavioral issues in children. San Francisco previously banned fast-food chains from distributing free toys as part of its broader health initiatives. The city attorney’s office has a history of securing wins against large corporations on public-health fronts, including actions against tobacco companies, lead paint manufacturers, and opioid manufacturers and distributors.
