An 18-year-old from Pennsylvania, has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against 11 major food manufacturers, including Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz Co., and Nestlé USA, claiming their ultra-processed products caused his Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—conditions he argues were nearly unheard of in children before the rise of such foods in American diets.
The lawsuit alleges that Bryce Martinez, from Warrington, Pennsylvania, was a victim of a deliberate scheme by food companies to engineer products that are as addictive as cigarettes and aggressively market them to children. The case, filed Tuesday in Philadelphia’s Common Pleas Court, has drawn national attention to the health impact of ultra-processed foods.
The Link Between Health and Ultra-Processed Foods
Martinez’s attorneys claim his childhood diet, including products like Bagel Bites, Sour Patch Kids, Hot Pockets, and Starburst, among others, resulted in lasting harm. These foods, classified as ultra-processed, are industrially manufactured products containing high levels of additives, artificial ingredients, and preservatives. Examples include sugary cereals, frozen meals, soft drinks, and snack foods. Research has linked their consumption to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The lawsuit notes that “nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and Type 2 diabetes didn’t exist in children before these products became staples in American households.” By 2018, studies showed that the majority of calories consumed by American youth came from ultra-processed foods, according to data cited in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit names 11 companies as defendants: Kraft Heinz Co., Post Holdings, Mondelez International, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé USA, Kellanova, WK Kellogg Co., Mars Inc., and Conagra Brands
Echoes of Big Tobacco
At a press conference Tuesday, lawyers from Morgan & Morgan, representing Martinez, compared the lawsuit to the historic litigation against tobacco companies in the 1990s. That case resulted in a global settlement of over $200 billion and major changes in public health policies
Attorney Rene Rocha said food manufacturers employed scientists who had previously worked for tobacco companies to make their products more addictive
“They used the same marketing strategies that once hooked children on cigarettes to sell these foods,” Rocha said. “Despite years of warnings, our food environment has worsened, and children’s health continues to decline.
A Growing National Concer
This lawsuit comes as the issue of ultra-processed foods garners increasing attention in the U.S. Last week, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf testified before the U.S. Senate, likening the addictiveness of ultra-processed foods to that of opioids
“The food industry has discovered the combination of sweet, carbohydrates, and salt that activates our brain’s reward system,” Califf said. “It’s the same neural circuits involved in opioid addiction.
The timing of the lawsuit also aligns with a shifting political landscape. President-elect Donald Trump has selected Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has made ultra-processed foods a core focus of his health policy agenda, calling for stronger regulations to protect public health
What’s Next?
The food manufacturers named in the lawsuit have not yet responded publicly, but the case could set the stage for broader legal and regulatory scrutiny of the industry. Martinez’s lawyers are seeking accountability and policy changes to prevent future harm.
“The food industry knew these products were harmful but chose profits over people,” Rocha said. “This lawsuit is about holding them accountable for their actions.”
