The World Health Organization’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has accused major ultra-processed food companies of obstructing efforts to tackle obesity by suing governments over healthier-diet policies. An investigation by the Guardian and partner organisations found that litigation can delay or weaken measures such as warning labels, advertising restrictions and junk-food taxes, even when governments ultimately prevail.

It identified 235 lawsuits in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the US and the UK between 2010 and 2025, involving policies targeting ultra-processed foods. Food companies lost three-quarters of resolved cases, but the legal actions reportedly created nearly 600 cumulative years of litigation, averaging 2.5 years per case. The WHO says this adds legal and healthcare costs while unhealthy diets contribute to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.