Processed food companies use courts to block health rules

Big companies that sell ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are suing governments to stop new rules. These rules are designed to help people eat healthier.

UPFs are foods like many biscuits, chips, and ready meals. They are linked to health problems in the body. People eat a lot of UPFs, and they are becoming a big problem for global health. Many governments are trying to help people choose healthier foods.

Governments have put in place rules such as warning labels on the front of food packages, stopping ads for unhealthy products, and adding taxes to junk food. Companies say they support these policies publicly. However, an investigation found that many of these companies are taking governments to court.

Since 2010, there have been 235 lawsuits against governments in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the US, and the UK. These lawsuits aimed to change, weaken, or delay health policies. Three-quarters of these lawsuits were filed by food companies or groups that represent them. Some companies even asked courts to keep their names secret.

Eight big parent companies, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Kellogg’s, were behind 38% of the lawsuits where the company could be identified. Although many of these lawsuits were lost by the food companies, they took a very long time. This caused big problems for governments and health officials.

Experts say these lawsuits delay important public health actions. Meanwhile, people continue to eat unhealthy food, leading to more cases of obesity and other diseases. Professor Marion Nestle explained that companies would not fight so hard if these health measures did not work. She added that the companies are using a strategy similar to the tobacco industry: 'When all else fails, sue.'