A report by WHO Europe denounces the manipulative practices of four major industries and their responsibility in the premature death of many citizens.
The tobacco, ultra-processed food, fossil fuel and alcohol sectors alone are responsible for 2.7 million premature deaths each year in the “European region”, or a quarter of all deaths in the region. This is the finding of a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) published on June 12, 2024 and carried out in the 53 countries covered by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, including the countries of Europe and Central Asia.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc. are responsible for 90% of deaths in the European region. The WHO report highlights that two thirds (61.3%) of deaths caused by NCDs are directly linked to risk factors. In other words, exposures linked to external aggressions coming from the environment or lifestyles harmful to health, such as the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and junk food, or the lack of ‘physical activity.
These behaviors facilitate the development of disorders and diseases, in particular overweight or obesity, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, high cholesterol levels, etc. Atmospheric particles, emitted in particular by the combustion of fossil fuels, also have significant consequences on societies. And industrial giants are no strangers to these premature deaths. “Four sectors cause at least 7,000 victims every day in our Region”explains Doctor Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe in a press release.
Preventable deaths
“253,000 deaths could have been avoided in the European Union (EU) if fine particle concentrations had respected WHO recommendations” deplored the European Environment Agency in a report from November 2023. This pollution particularly attacks the respiratory and heart tracts, and poses serious complications during the development of the brain and lungs in childhood.
Large industries: “Merchants of doubt”a phenomenon still relevant today
Large companies often argue that they are not responsible for people’s lifestyles, and that they are only responding to market needs. “The demand for oil continues to increase, not because of Western countries, but because of emerging countries whose populations are growing and aspire to a better standard of living. It’s not me who makes system A grow, it’s demand.” This is how Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of the TotalEnergies group, defended himself during his hearing in the Senate on April 29, 2024.
However, for Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, multinationals are not passive actors. “These large corporate entities are blocking regulations that would protect the public from harmful products and harmful marketing, and protect health policy from industry interference”, he emphasizes. In fact, the report denounces the tactics of industries, accompanied by an armada of actors (professional associations, financial actors, consultants, think tanks, research centers, etc.), to influence political decisions and exploit the most vulnerable people through targeted marketing strategies and the dissemination of misleading messages minimizing the dangers of the goods and services sold. For the WHO, these practices have allowed the private sector to increase its power and influence, to the detriment of the public good and the State.
Find out more: Greenwashing? Definition and Examples of Greenwashing
An observation that recalls the methods described by American historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway in their work The Merchants of Doubtpublished in France in 2012.
In France, the Évin law introduced in 1991 to regulate tobacco consumption and regulate the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages, particularly those targeting young populations and vulnerable people, has since its implementation been regularly attacked and circumvented. On the alcohol side, for example, online advertisements have been authorized since 2009 despite a significant and growing presence of young people on the internet. “In addition, since 2016, alcoholic beverages “with a designation of quality, origin and terroir or regional heritage”, such as wine produced in France, Russian vodka or Scottish whiskey are excluded. of the Évin law »notes the report.
More recently, Politico revealed that on the occasion of the Roland Garros 2024 tennis tournament, the tobacco giant Philip Morris had organized a seduction operation aimed at journalists. The firm invited information professionals for a meeting consisting of a meal and a seat “to witness the best posters of the tournament this week”, but also discuss politics CSR by Philip Morris…
“A call to action” to combat commercial influence
« Our current efforts to regulate harmful health practices used by commercial actors, and in particular those in health-damaging industries, are still insufficient.alerts the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke in the WHO press release, before asking “It is up to all Europe’s newly elected politicians and parliamentarians to recognize the scale of this problem and the considerable impact that industry practices have on public health and, indeed, on our democratic processes.”
The majority of countries are still far from the targets set by Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 to reduce, by 2030, “by a third, through prevention and treatment, the rate of premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being”. For the WHO, this report is “a call to action to the 53 Member States of the European Region”. It calls for combating commercial influence in all spheres, private and public, and strengthening existing regulations.
The Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, Ed. Le Pommier, 2012, p. €368.21.
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