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Key takeaways

  • San Francisco is suing major food producers Kraft Heinz, Mondelez and Coca-Cola for knowingly selling unhealthy processed foods that are harmful to public health.
  • The city argues that the companies use misleading marketing tactics similar to those of the tobacco industry.
  • The lawsuit seeks financial compensation for healthcare costs linked to the products and aims to put an end to deceptive advertising practices.

The city of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against major food producers Kraft Heinz, Mondelez and Coca-Cola for allegedly knowingly selling highly processed foods that are harmful to public health.

The complaint, filed in a San Francisco court, accuses the companies of using tactics similar to those of the tobacco industry to foster addiction among consumers. The city is seeking financial compensation for the healthcare costs caused by the products and is asking for a court ruling that bans misleading marketing practices.

“Creating a health crisis”

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, who is representing the city in the case, said the companies “have massively profited from creating a health crisis and must now take responsibility for the harm they have caused.”

This is the first time a local government has sued companies for knowingly marketing harmful, highly processed food. The city argues that the spread of these products has contributed to the rise in obesity, cancer and diabetes.

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