How Big Food Companies Use Lawsuits to Block Public Health Laws
Big Food vs. the People
I investigated how major corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Mondelez use legal tactics to delay public health policies in six countries. Our research uncovered 239 lawsuits filed between 2010 and 2025, creating a massive burden on governments trying to regulate junk food. These legal battles not only cost billions but also intimidate policymakers from enacting necessary reforms to combat the global obesity crisis.
In court, the judges rejected many of the legal arguments that the companies presented.
- arthurjj
I'm about as hippie with my food as you can get, but this "article" is badly written propaganda that conceals more than it reveals. Half way down the article you learn that ~80% (193 out of 239) of the lawsuits are in Mexico and
> many of them were against the country’s labelling regulation. Quinto Elemento Lab reveals the companies’ arguments: that the laws were a violation of their constitutional rights
But the article doesn't say what those rights are, which makes me think the lawsuits were just
- irthomasthomas
"Senators don't have the luxury that a research scientist has of waiting for evidence." - 1977
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFQc2kxm9c
FYI
obesity 1977 ~14% 2026 40%+
T2 Diabetes 1977 ~3% 2026 ~12%
- nickff
The measures related to lawsuits are misleading and terrible, because of the way class-action lawsuits have incentivized lawyers to pursue dubious cases against large companies.
- StilesCrisis
"But behind closed doors, they have taken governments to court" -- uh, I guess courtrooms technically have doors??
- wxw
Link to the list of court cases: https://search.openaleph.org/entities/52243ef9aea6719ce8a69e...
- throwawayffffas
Can you blame them? Would you sue if the government suddenly decided your industry has to pay extra taxes, or they tried to restrict your advertising?
Honestly coca cola should probably thank the UK government for the sugar tax. They are the only ones that had the courage to keep the sugar and pay the tax, making their original soda the only potable soda in the UK.
- bix6
Support your local farmers and get a weekly CSA (community supported agriculture) box, delicious!
- jruohonen
Ref.: