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North Carolina “Big Food” Industry Targeted with Potential Litigation

| Tort Reform & Legal Climate

North Carolina’s food industry is being targeted by a legal plot to make “Big Food” pay for soaring obesity-related health care costs. According to this Politico article, lawyers are pitching attorneys general in 16 states, including North Carolina, with proposals to sue the food industry to help pay the health care costs of the obesity crisis. In opposition to these proposals, the Grocery Manufacturing Association argues that “regulation through litigation is not an appropriate mechanism for policy making.” Additionally, food and beverage companies have, over the past decade, introduced 20,000 healthier products, voluntarily removed full-calorie beverages from schools and adopted self-regulatory standards for marketing to kids. Read the full article here.

As outlined in North Carolina Vision 2030, the legal climate is a key driver of a competitive business climate. North Carolina’s legal system should not encourage unnecessary litigation that adds costs and prevents employers from creating jobs. The NC Chamber knows that what happens in the courtroom impacts decisions made in the boardroom, and we are committed to advancing a more competitive legal climate for our state’s businesses.