Large companies were hailed as heroic, patriotic and cutting-edge during the Covid-19 pandemic, and many put all their efforts into supporting their country’s governments in times of need.
But a new foreign report indicates that some of the big companies, namely the food and beverage giants, have harnessed the merit of this era of calamities to profit and, in doing so, have put the lives of others vulnerable to harm. Covid-19 headaches most at risk.
The report through the NCD Alliance and a British thinker, Spectrum Consortium, warned against the capture of companies, where ultra-processed food giants, comfortable beverage manufacturers and the alcohol industry have used wise marketing campaigns and the so-called promotion of partnerships with governments, as a ploy to enrich themselves. The report warned that such marketing methods would not only increase the burden of noncommunicable diseases (ETDs), but would also put the fitness of people who already have this medical condition at an even greater risk.
The initial report, titled: Virtue Signaling, Promotion of Prejudice: Unhealthy Commodities Industries and Covid-19, revealed how burger companies geolocated consumers and attracted them with closed gifts, while beverage giants donated thousands of cans to struggling homes and communities in Mexico.
The authors note that such movements would possibly aggravate the pandemic.
“Since the early days of the pandemic, we have noticed two trends: developing epidemiological evidence that other people living with NCDs are suffering worse outcomes from Covid-19, and that many manufacturers of defective products have temporarily adapted their methods to verify and capitalize on. the pandemic and the closures, “said Lucy Westerman, director of policy and campaigns for the NCD Alliance. Array, co-author of the report.
“It is a bitter irony that corporations such as tobacco, alcohol and junk food, whose products increase the threat of non-communicable diseases, thus exposing others to a greater threat of suffering as a result of the pandemic, have placed themselves themselves as heroes and partners in reaction and have interfered with public policies aimed at protecting the fitness of the population, “he said.
Researchers collected examples from global advocacy and studies specialists to raise awareness and how corporations responded to Covid-19. To date, the initiative has won a total of 786 presentations from more than 90 countries around the world. activities of the liquor industry and brands of ultra-processed food and beverage products.
He revealed how the McDonald’s burger chain in the United States, through its ‘Lovin’ Southeast Missouri ad,” asked lifeguards to help health care staff in the fast food chain by providing them with a “loose” meal of thanks to a local. Bank.
Heineken Russia has donated food to fitness workers, such as its energy drink, solar energy, for doctors and nurses stationed at night.
Frozen food manufacturer McCain has sought to invoke a sense of civic duty in Canada, asking consumers to “eat more chips in Canada,” combining a call for greater intake with pandemic-affected farmers.
In Brazil, local brewer Karsten has adapted her logo to look like a pair of lungs, the main site of Covid-19 infection, and has attached the slogan “Good beer is like air: you can’t live without it,” while encouraging consumers to follow three key tips with Karsten: “isolate, use a disinfectant and drink beer for fun. “
In the United States, fast food chain Burger King has invoked patriotic duty by encouraging consumers to make their component and be “riot sofas,” delivery fees to inspire others to “stay home” and donate 250,000 burgers to nurses through a local federation. nurses.
In African countries such as Kenya, Ghana and Uganda, alcohol and tobacco corporations were among the main donors to national government fundraising efforts. Alcohol manufacturers have also adapted to the manufacture of hand sanitizers.
Katie Dain, executive director of the NCD Alliance, said there are classes to learn, especially for those leading the public aptitude reaction to the pandemic.
“The [report] raises considerations about the possibility of capturing Covid-19 through corporations. We detect that corporations are constantly implementing these tactics around the world, to please policy makers while slightly concealing cynical attempts to weaken existing regulations and avoid long-term policies.
“But the ruthless effect of Covid-19 on other people living with MNA obviously shows that policy replacement is more urgent than ever. To better rebuild after the pandemic, governments want these industries more strictly, protect other avoidable MNEs, and make our societies healthier and more resistant to long-term fitness threats
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