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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
The funeral market is the market linked to funerals organized following the death of a person. Formerly handled in France by public players and in particular La Société des Pompes funèbres générales in the XIXᵉ century, the sector has been liberalized since 1993. Numerous companies are now investing in the market.
The funeral market is made up of two main players:
- Funeral services (organization of the funeral, provision of the coffin or urn (depending on the choice of cremation or burial), transfer of the body and hygienic care of the deceased)
- Marble services (creation of headstones and monuments, flowers and cemetery fees)
The French market has grown by an average of 3.6% between 2015 and 2023. This market is made up of a multitude of small and medium-sized private players with highly developed territorial roots. However, the market is tending to concentrate around major national players such as Funécap and OGF, following multiple mergers and acquisitions.
The funeral market is also facing the arrival of new players: mutual insurance companies. Formerly organized through partnerships with the historic players in the funeral industry, their offer is evolving. They want to be able to support their members as closely as possible right up to the end of their lives. La Maison des Obsèques, created by mutual insurers, is one example. In addition, funeral insurance products are on the rise, making it easier to organize a funeral following a death.
The funeral market is closely linked to France's structural demographic changes, which are conducive to its growth. To remain dynamic, market players are renewing and diversifying their offerings: more ecologically responsible solutions (such as eco-certified coffins) and low-cost products are emerging. Also of note is the growing importance of online communication by the various networks and players in the funeral industry, who are promoting their services via digital channels.
Finally, practices are evolving, and cremation is increasingly being chosen over traditional burial.
1.2 Global market
In ****, the global funeral market will be worth $**.* billion, and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of *.*% over the next ten years, reaching $*** billion in ****.
Forecast growth in funeral sales World, ****-****, in billions of dollars Source: ****
The funeral market varies widely around the world, as funeral expenses ...
1.3 The French funeral market
In France in ****, funeral sales will total just over * billion euros, up *.*% on ****. The funeral market in France is essentially made up of national players, with relatively strong local roots. **% of undertakers are independent, and **% of funeral care structures (***) are independent.
Sales index trends France, ****-****, index base *** **** Source: ****
Over the ...
1.4 The impact of COVID-19 on the funeral market
The number of deaths in France in **** was directly affected by the COVID-** pandemic. Indeed,this virus led to a **% rise in the number of deaths in March-April **** compared with the same period in ****.
However, the deaths during this period should not be confused with the disease itself. In fact, as ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 A structural demographic trend that favors market development
Number of deaths France, ****-****, in units Source: ****
This statistic shows the number of deaths in France from **** to ****. The lowest level of deaths in France was reached in ****, when around ***,*** deaths were recorded. In contrast, the highest number of deaths is observed in ****, with around ***,*** deaths, according to Insee. This ...
2.2 A change in French expectations
Cremation is a structurally growing trend in France, and is tending to replace burial. Whereas in ****, **% of French people wanted to be buried, by **** the figure had dropped by ** points to **%. conversely, the figures for cremation have jumped by ** points since ****, from **% of wishes to **%.
Preference between burial and cremation for ...
2.3 The importance of religious ceremonial
What type of ceremony do you prefer for your own funeral? France, ****, in Source: ****
In line with the decline of the religious in France, we find that **% of French people want a religious ceremony for their own funeral, compared with **% in ****. The percentage of people not wishing a ceremony (***).
Religious ceremonies ...
2.4 Demand trends
Ecology
Reduce your impact on nature, even after your death.
Planting a remembrance tree is an idea that appeals to two out of three French people (***) as anoption. [***]
Cardboard coffins currently represent only *% of the market, and are hampered by a poor image of cardboard (***), which are immediately burned or ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Market organization and dynamics
Here's a simplified value chain for the funeral industry.
It should be noted that the urns containing the ashes of people who have chosen cremation are not necessarily placed in a cemetery, but can be kept with a relative or scattered in the wild after prefectoral authorization.
Funeral services data are ...
3.2 Small stores are the most competitive on the market
Small companies more competitive than large groups
Source: ****
The two cheapest estimates for burial and cremation are from local undertakers, not large groups.
Generally speaking, a quote for a burial from a franchise network (***) will cost €***.** more than a quote from a local undertaker. Similarly, to a lesser extent, for a ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Products and services
Services marked with an * are those that must be contracted with a funeral service. Other services are optional and cannot be imposed.
4.2 Prices vary by company and service
In a Famille Rurales study in ****, investigators asked several funeral companies for the "cheapest possible" quote for a cremation or burial. The results showed significant disparities, with the most expensive quote worth up to * times that of the cheapest.
Base rate for a burial in several funeral companies France, ****, in € Source: ...
4.3 A complementary product: funeral insurance
A funeral insurance policy covers funeral expenses and guarantees your wishes after your death (***).
Every year, around ***,*** people take out a funeral policy . Their reasons are generally to finance their own funeral, and to avoid being a burden on their families when the time comes. A total of *.* million French people ...
4.4 An associated service: flowers
In ****, **% of French households bought a cemetery plant for an average budget of ** euros. This figure has been falling since ****.
Evolution of the proportion of French people who bought a cemetery plant during the year France, ****-****, in % Source: ****
In ****, purchases of flowers for the cemetery were largely made in supermarkets ...
5 Regulations
5.1 A highly regulated business
Obligations of next-of-kin following a death
In France, the use of an undertaker is compulsory, as they are the only employees authorized to perform the committal (***) and to provide a funeral vehicle. You are free to choose your own company.
The profession is highly regulated
A detailed, free, written estimate is ...
5.2 Demanding professional training
A professional qualification is required to work in funeral services.
A national diploma in thanatopraxy is required for the right to care for the deceased. This diploma is obtained after *** hours of theoretical training and ** months of practical training.
The next step is to obtain authorization from the prefecture to practice ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- OGF
- Funécap groupe
- Pompes Funèbres Pascal Leclerc (Funecap)
- Roc Eclerc
- Le choix Funéraire
- Sérenium (OGF)
- Services Funéraires Ville de Paris
- Lassurance.obsèques.fr
- Rebillon (Funecap)
- En sa mémoire
- La Maison des Obsèques (vyv Groupe)
- Sorenir
- Comitam
List of charts presented in this market study
- Growth forecasts for the funeral industry
- Sales trends in funeral services
- Growth rate of funeral sales
- Number of deaths
- Cyclicality of deaths in France
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Latest news
Sorenir simplifies post-death administrative procedures with AI - 28/04/2023
- Sorenir was founded in 2019 by Simon Joly, Emmanuel Ruiz and Vincent de La Guerrande.
- The company supported 4,000 families in 2022.
- Sorenir generated sales of 1 million euros in 2022.
- The management team aims to achieve sales of 10 million euros by 2023.
- Sorenir currently employs around one hundred people, and plans to add another fifty positions in the near future.
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the funeral market | France
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