In a bold move, 18-year-old Bryce Martinez from Pennsylvania has taken a stand against some of the world’s largest food corporations. Martinez has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against 11 major food companies, including household names like Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Kraft Heinz, alleging that their ultra-processed foods (UPFs) led to his development of Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease at the age of 16.  

This legal action brings to light the growing concern over UPFs, which are foods that have undergone multiple processing steps and often contain additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. These products, ranging from sugary cereals to packaged snacks and soft drinks, have become staples in many households, particularly appealing to children and teenagers.  

Martinez’s lawsuit argues that these companies have engaged in practices reminiscent of the tobacco industry, prioritising profits over the health of young consumers. His legal team contends that the food giants have exploited children’s vulnerability to marketing and their natural preference for sweet and salty flavours. It argues that these companies have deliberately engineered their products to trigger addictive responses, making it difficult for young consumers to resist or moderate their intake.  

The case details Martinez’s personal story, describing how he regularly consumed popular UPFs throughout his childhood, unaware of the potential long-term health consequences. His diagnosis with Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease at 16 came as a shock, prompting him to investigate the root causes of his health issues.  

This lawsuit raises important questions about the food system in the face of rising childhood obesity and diabetes rates. It challenges the food industry’s long-standing defence that consumers have free choice in their dietary decisions. Martinez’s lawyers argue that when it comes to children, this notion of free choice is compromised by aggressive marketing tactics and the addictive nature of these products.  

The case also highlights the growing awareness of the link between diet and long-term health outcomes. Public health advocates have long warned about the potential dangers of a diet high in UPFs, but this lawsuit brings these concerns into the legal arena in an unprecedented way.  

The case draws parallels to the landmark tobacco lawsuits of the past, which resulted in significant changes to how cigarettes were marketed and sold. If successful, Martinez’s lawsuit could have similar far-reaching implications for the food industry, potentially leading to stricter regulations on food marketing, more transparent labelling practices and a shift in public perception of UPFs.  

Moreover, this case may inspire other individuals or groups to take similar legal action, potentially opening the floodgates for a wave of lawsuits against food companies. This could force coopted governments and the industry to reckon with their role in the global obesity epidemic and other diet-related health issues.  

While Martinez’s lawsuit focuses on the direct health impacts of UPFs on individuals, it’s crucial to understand this case within the broader context of the global food system. This is something I have been drawing attention to for many years, offering a critical lens through which to examine how the industrial food system, driven by profit motives, perpetuates health crises, environmental degradation and socio-economic harm.  

The rise of UPFs is emblematic of a food system shaped by capitalist imperatives. These foods, often laced with harmful chemicals and produced using toxic agrochemicals, are not only detrimental to health but also highly profitable for corporations. The same companies that dominate the UPF market are deeply intertwined with investment firms like BlackRock and Vanguard, which also hold stakes in the pharmaceutical industry. This dual investment creates a cycle where corporations profit from both the sale of harmful foods and the treatment of diseases caused by these products—a ‘win-win’ scenario for them but a devastating one for public health.  

A complex web of influence shapes global food policies and scientific research. Any talk about corporate influence and lobbying must include the role of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI). Despite claiming to be an independent scientific organisation, the ILSI functions as a powerful lobby group for the food industry.  

The ILSI plays a crucial role in promoting narratives that benefit its corporate funders, often at the expense of public health. We have a food system where corporate lobbying exerts significant influence over policies and ensures harmful practices remain largely unchecked.  

The proliferation of UPFs has been linked to rising rates of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In high-income countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, UPFs account for more than half of total calorific intake, exacerbating these health issues. Yet corporate-backed narratives often downplay these risks or frame them as issues of personal responsibility rather than systemic problems.  

High-level ‘experts’ and scientists with ties to major food corporations have argued against demonising UPFs, despite overwhelming evidence linking them to poor health outcomes.  

Addressing the harms caused by UPFs requires more than individual lawsuits — it demands a rethinking of how food is produced, marketed and regulated.  

Bryce Martinez’s lawsuit against food corporations represents a critical challenge to a system that thrives on ‘sickening profits’. This case is part of a larger struggle against a global food system that prioritises corporate wealth and power over health and food sovereignty. Whether through legal action or the work of grassroots movements, dismantling and rejecting this harmful system is essential for creating a healthier and more equitable future. 

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Renowned author Colin Todhunter specialises in development, food and agriculture. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).  

Colin Todhunter’s book Sickening Profits: The Global Food System’s Poisoned Food and Toxic Wealth provides further insight into the issues addressed above. It can be read here. 

Featured image is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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