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WHO calls for regulating industries’ merchandising tactics that contribute to millions of deaths.
Following research that blamed alcohol, tobacco, ultra-processed foods, and fossil fuels for over 2.7 million deaths on the continent, WHO Europe urged stringent regulation to restrain industrial influence and improve public health. In a statement, Hans Kluge, the director of WHO Europe, noted that the report "Commercial Determinants of Non-Communicable Diseases in the WHO Europe Region" held four industries responsible for causing the deaths of at least 7,000 people daily in the region.
According to the WHO, smoking causes 1.15 million deaths annually in Europe, followed by use of alcohol (426,857), processed meat consumption (117,290), and salt intake (252,187). These figures do not even take into account deaths from poor diets, which are linked to obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.
WHO also accused the four industries of obstructing public policies that would have an impact on their profits, quoting business strategies such as targeted marketing, social media promotion, disinformation, and "subverting science" by endorsing studies that supported their goals. WHO emphasized that while profit is "the primary interest of all major corporations," a large market share "often translates into political power."
According to the WHO, one third of children and nearly 60% of adults in Europe are overweight or obese. According to the most recent data from 2017, poor eating habits were responsible for one out of every five deaths in Europe from cancer and heart disease. WHO called on nations to react by imposing stricter laws on lobbying, monopolistic behavior, and the promotion of unhealthy goods. Kluge highlighted that people must always come before profit.
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