WHO Says UPF Companies Filed 235 Lawsuits to Stall Obesity Policies
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 1
WHO Says UPF Companies Filed 235 Lawsuits to Stall Obesity Policies
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 1
Summary
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said ultra-processed food companies have used litigation to block or delay health rules, arguing the tactic is worsening an obesity crisis affecting nearly 1 billion people.
A cross-border investigation found 235 lawsuits over UPF policies in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the US and the UK from 2010 to 2025, adding up to almost 600 cumulative years of legal battles.
Three-quarters of resolved cases were lost by the companies, but WHO said even failed suits delayed warning labels, junk-food taxes and marketing curbs for years while draining public resources.
Eight parent groups including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Mondelēz accounted for 38% of identifiable company-filed cases, while some plaintiffs sought to keep their identities secret in court records.
Tedros urged governments to keep adopting proven anti-obesity measures and called on food companies to drop lawsuits, saying litigation creates a regulatory chill that hits poorer countries hardest.
Could aggressive counter-lawsuits by local governments finally break the junk food industry's grip on global health policies?
How are global food giants secretly using billions in legal threats to keep dangerous ultra-processed foods on your plate?
Ultra-Processed Foods on Trial: The 2026 Legal Flashpoint, Regulatory Patchwork, and the Global Fight for Public Health
Overview
The legal fight over ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has shifted from failed individual lawsuits—where proving a direct link between specific foods and illness was nearly impossible—to bold government-led actions like San Francisco’s public nuisance case against major food companies. If these lawsuits move forward, they could force companies to reveal internal documents, potentially leading to large settlements and a wave of similar claims nationwide. Meanwhile, the food industry has responded with aggressive global litigation to delay public health policies, draining resources and discouraging new regulations. This battle is reshaping both public opinion and industry strategies, as lawmakers push for clearer definitions and stricter rules, and companies pivot toward compliance and cleaner labels.