Big Tobacco lawyers target food industry

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Jun 18, 2007
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First they came for your tobacco

he lawyers who took on the big US tobacco companies, and won, have now set their sights on the food industry. Newsnight's science editor, Susan Watts, asks one of them why he has chosen this particular fight. Don Barrett likes his opponents powerful, and rich. He is the lawyer whose decade-long battle to force the tobacco companies to admit they knew cigarettes are addictive and pay the medical costs of victims was depicted in the film The Insider.

He and his colleagues eventually forced a settlement that cost the industry more than $200bn (£124bn). The lawsuits made Mr Barrett a very wealthy man. But he says it is not the potential for another big pay-out that is now making him target "big food".

[...]

Don Barret is suing the makers of over 20 products, which include:
  • Fruit juices
  • Crisps
  • Soft drinks
  • Chocolate
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Canned fruits
  • Baby food
  • Tea

more

BBC News - Big Tobacco lawyers target food industry