Ultra-Processed Food Lawsuits: How Firms Obstruct Health Rules 2026

The world's biggest ultra-processed food companies have filed scores of lawsuits challenging government policies that tackle junk diets, according to a Guardian investigation. Ultra-processed food (UPF) is linked to harm in every major organ system and poses a seismic threat to global health, with UPF now making up as much as half the average diet in many countries including the UK, US, and Australia.

How Ultra-Processed Food Firms Use Litigation to Delay Health Rules

Governments worldwide have adopted measures to fight back—front-of-pack warning labels, marketing restrictions on unhealthy products, and taxes on junk food. Publicly, the world’s biggest UPF companies insist they support these policies. However, an investigation by the Guardian in collaboration with academics and media partners found many of these same companies are taking governments to court.

From 2010 to 2025, a total of 235 lawsuits were lodged over health policies targeting UPF in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the US, and the UK. While not all filers are known, three-quarters were filed by UPF manufacturers or their trade associations. Of the cases with identifiable plaintiffs, 38% were brought by eight parent corporations: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Mondelēz, Kellogg’s, Danone, Ferrero, Xignux, and Heartland Food Products Group.

The Impact of Corporate Lawsuits on Public Health Policies

Dozens of cases are ongoing. Of those resolved, three-quarters were lost by the food giants. But the length of these legal battles adds significant delays to implementing health measures. In Mexico, warning labels were stalled for years; in the US, marketing restrictions faced repeated challenges. The strategy, as one expert noted, is simple: “If all else fails, sue.”

Comparison of Litigation Outcomes by Region

The table above highlights how the vast majority of resolved cases end in defeat for the food giants, yet the sheer number of filings creates a costly and time-consuming burden for governments.

Key Takeaways from the Investigation

• Ultra-processed food companies file lawsuits to delay or weaken health regulations.
• Three-quarters of all lawsuits are filed by manufacturers or trade associations.
• Eight parent corporations account for 38% of identifiable cases.
• Though most lawsuits are lost, they effectively stall policy implementation.
• Global consumption of UPF continues to rise, worsening the public health crisis.

FAQ

This investigation reveals a pattern of corporate obstruction that undermines public health efforts. Understanding these tactics is the first step toward holding the industry accountable and demanding transparent, science-based policy making.