Well, okay. Yeah, you'd do something. But when the module writers jump to that something being ritualistic murder and human sacrifice, that's quite a leap.
Several of the towns are offering food or fuel. I think that is enough to convey the desperation and hopelessness of the situation rather than killing people at random. Especially when the adventure doesn't give you any more details about why, how, who, etc., is behind the sacrifices.
It's a very instant red herring - the party is going to be suspicious (to say the least) of any town that is killing its citizens - especially when other towns are not going to such extremes.
"I guess they just like killing the people in Village Y, even though the people in Village X are getting by with burning firewood."