The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that alcohol, tobacco, and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) kill at least 2.7 million people in Europe annually. The WHO has urged nations to enact stronger laws governing the production of these items.

According to The Guardian, the WHO said in a ground-breaking research that large corporations were employing “misleading” marketing to promote illness and early death.

The group went on to say that these sectors are obstructing government initiatives to stop deadly illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Tobacco & Alcohol Kill 2.7 Million People

According to the latest report’s estimations, these four substances—tobacco, alcohol, fossil fuels, and UPFs—account for more over 7,400 deaths every day in all 53 states of Europe.

These four industries are responsible for approximately a quarter (24.5%) of all mortality in Europe, with an estimated 2.7 million deaths occurring there each year.

“A limited number of multinational companies… possess considerable influence over the political and legal environments in which they function, and impede public interest regulations which may have an effect on their profit margins,” the World Health Organization stated.

Adding to this, Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, said: “Industry tactics include exploitation of vulnerable people through targeted marketing strategies, misleading consumers, and making false claims about the benefits of their products or their environmental credentials.”