Coca-Cola, PepsiCo face lawsuit in U.S. for marketing 'addictive' foods to children

Major food companies, including Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, and Coca-Cola, face a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, accusing them of designing and marketing "ultra-processed" foods to be addictive to children, leading to chronic diseases.

The lawsuit, brought by Bryce Martinez, a Pennsylvania resident, alleges that consuming these companies' products caused him to develop type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diagnosed at age 16.

The lawsuit, filed by the firm Morgan & Morgan, is described as the first of its kind and includes additional defendants such as Post Holdings, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé's U.S. division, WK Kellogg, Mars, Kellanova, and Conagra. The case argues that these companies knowingly engineered their products to be addictive, drawing parallels to the practices of tobacco companies like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds.

Evidence linking highly processed foods to chronic health problems has increased in recent years, with many researchers identifying packaged snacks, sweets, and soft drinks as examples of "ultra-processed" products. These foods often include substances extracted from whole foods or created artificially.

The lawsuit claims the companies used strategies from the tobacco industry's "cigarette playbook" to promote their products, despite knowing their potential harm. Allegations include conspiracy, negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, and unfair business practices. Martinez seeks compensatory and punitive damages, though the amount remains unspecified.

The case also highlights broader criticism of the food industry and regulatory failures by agencies like the FDA. Recent commentary from public health officials and researchers has pointed to the addictive potential of ultra-processed foods and their links to chronic health issues.