The director general of the World Health Organization has accused the world’s largest ultra-processed food corporations of using litigation to obstruct public health measures designed to combat the global obesity crisis. The companies are filing lawsuits against governments that implement policies such as front-of-pack warning labels, marketing restrictions, and junk food taxes, according to statements from the WHO leadership.
A multi-country investigation conducted by the Guardian in collaboration with academic institutions and media organizations identified 235 lawsuits challenging health policies targeting ultra-processed foods across Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the US, and the UK from 2010 to 2025. The analysis found that labeling policies were the most frequently contested measures, followed by taxation and marketing restrictions. Approximately three-quarters of the lawsuits were filed by ultra-processed food companies or their trade associations, with some corporations seeking to keep their identities confidential in court proceedings.
While governments won approximately three-quarters of the resolved cases, the litigation has resulted in significant delays to the implementation of public health measures. The cumulative effect of these legal battles amounts to nearly 600 years of costly litigation, with cases averaging 2.5 years each. These delays have prolonged efforts to address obesity while consuming substantial government resources and creating a “regulatory chill” that discourages other nations from adopting similar protective policies.
According to the WHO, nearly 1 billion people globally are living with obesity, and ultra-processed foods now comprise approximately half the average diet in countries including the UK, the US, and Australia. The WHO leadership stated that governments should continue advancing proven health measures despite the litigation, while corporations claiming to support public health should cease legal action and other obstruction tactics.
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