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Summary of our market study
The Belgian funeral market is estimated at around 800 million euros, based on 115,000 deaths per year and an average funeral cost of 7,000 euros.
Cremation is the preferred choice of over 60% of Belgians.
The structure of the market has evolved, with a trend towards consolidation of small family businesses and the emergence of low-cost services. Adoption of funeral insurance has increased, with almost 15% of Belgians holding policies.
Funeral services have also gone digital, offering online platforms and streaming services.
The majority of deaths occur in the Flemish region, accounting for 58% of the total.
In Belgium, the number of citizens aged over 65 represents around 20% of the population.
Digital funeral planning platforms and even virtual cemeteries are gaining ground.
Funeral services for pets are also developing rapidly
Belgian market player.
- DELA: A major player in the Belgian funeral insurance market
- Roc Eclerc
- Alveus Scrl
- Sereni
- Budget Funerals: This company responds to the market trend towards more budget-conscious choices.
- DVV Insurance offers traditional life insurance policies that can be used to cover funeral expenses.
- Funeral Manager: develops management software as a service (SaaS) for funeral professionals.
- ANIMATRANS, Rostenne Jean-François, and Crema Dignité: Specialize in pet funerals.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
The funeral market is the market for funeral arrangements following the death of a person. Funeral services are the main players in the market, in charge of the various procedures.
The quality of service and the location of the agency play a crucial role in the choice of families or loved ones. Funeral directors are often small, family-run businesses, although there has been a trend towards concentration or mergers in recent years.We are also seeing a diversification in the activities of undertakers, notably with the rise of funeral expense insurance, to which 15% of Belgians had subscribed by 2018. DELA is one of the main players in this market.
The market depends mainly on the country's demographic trends, and Belgium is an ageing country with a growing proportion of people over 65. Over the past ten years, the number of deaths in Belgium has been predicted to rise to around 116,000 by 2022.Practices are also evolving, and cremation is increasingly popular: in 2019, over 60% of Belgians chose this option. A distinction is made between cremation (cremation in a crematorium) and burial (traditional burial in a cemetery).
To remain dynamic, market players are renewing and diversifying their offerings: more ecologically responsible or low-costsolutions are emerging. It's also worth noting the growing importance of online communication for the various networks and players in the funeral industry, who are promoting their services via digital channels.
1.2 The global funeral 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 Belgian funeral services market
Estimated sales for Belgian undert akers :
If we take :
the average number of deaths (***) in recent years, which is around ***,*** per year the average cost of a funeral, which according to DELA is €*,*** (***)
Assuming that all funerals are organized by funeral directors at an average price of €*,***, we can therefore estimate ...
1.4 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis
While the mortality rate had been falling overall since the ****s, **** saw an increase in the mortality rate .
Whereas in ****, the rate was *.* per *,*** Belgians, in **** it rose to **.* per *,*** Belgians. [***]
Mortality was particularly high in densely populated regions.
Increase in number of deaths by region in **** vs. average ****-**** Belgium, ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The ageing of the Belgian population: a fundamental trend
An aging population:
In ****, there will be *.* million people aged ** and over in Belgium, corresponding to **.*% of the population. [***]
According to the Federal Planning Bureau, this proportion will rise to **% by **** and even **% by ****. [***]
Evolution of the proportion of over-**s in the Belgian population Belgium, **** - ****, in Source: ****
Nevertheless, life ...
2.2 Trend in the number of deaths in Belgium
The number of deaths has been stable overall since **** (***) at around ***,*** per year, but **** showed a much more significant increase in the number of deaths. In ****, we also see an increase in deaths, of *.*% compared to the ****-**** average.
Trend in the number of deaths in Belgium Belgium, **** - ****, in number ...
2.3 Funeral service expectations
The rise of cremation: In ****, over **% of Belgians have opted for cremation, compared with around **% in **** .
Share of Belgians choosing cremation Belgium, ****, in % Source: ****
Cremation has thus become the majority option in Belgium, overtaking the more traditional burial.
Trend in the number of cremations Belgium, **** - ****, in thousands of people Source: ...
2.4 Main demand trends
Environmentally-friendly coffins:
More and more Belgians are opting for ecological solutions for their funerals. Coffins made from materials other than wood, such as cardboard or wicker, are on the rise.
Personalized services:
The desire to reflect the personality of the deceased during the funeral can be seen in the choice of ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Sector organization
The funeral director can take care of the entire funeral organization.
Before the ceremony, the undertaker can take care of a number of tasks:
placing the body in the coffin, mortuary cleansing and coffin supply, according to budget and customer wishes placement of the deceased's body in a funeral home, if ...
3.2 Player typology and dynamics
There are *** undertakers in Belgium in ****, according to the SNI (***).
The number of undertakers has grown steadily over the past decade.
Trend in the number of undertakers Belgium, **** - ****, in % Source: ****
A sector dominated by small businesses ...
These companies are often family businesses with fewer than ** employees. These companies are locally ...
3.3 Digitization of the sector
The rise of connected services around the sector:
Connected services are also present in a *.* funeral market: online death announcements and condolences, funerals that can be followed in real time on a tablet, virtual cemeteries. Funerals can now be organized, authorized and paid for online. Funerals can also be streamed, and ...
3.4 Geographical distribution
Funeral parlours are distributed as follows in Belgium:
Funebra
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Types of funeral services and prices
The average total cost of a funeral is usually between €*,*** and €*,***, depending on the region and the services requested. The following table breaks down this average price by Funebra.
An upward trend in prices:
Between **** and ****, prices rose by over **%, while the cost of living increased by **%.
Inflation is similar in ...
4.2 Funeral expenses insurance
In Belgium in ****, there was an increase in the number of people unable to pay for their funerals: at least one case in ** on average in Belgium in ****. This represents almost *,*** defaulted funerals a year. To meet the needs of these customers, the undertakers' federation created funeral insurance in ****.
By ****, almost ...
4.3 Supply trends
The arrival of low-cost players:
Faced with price inflation in funeral services, low-cost players are cutting prices as far as possible to attract customers.
The B-Funerals company launched Belgium's first low-cost funerals, which are said to cost up to four times less than a traditional funeral. To achieve such a low ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulations
Regulatory framework for organizing a funeral:
According to Belgium.be, funerals can be organized independently, although most of the time they are carried out by a funeral director.
In the case of a funeral (***), authorization from the Commune is required, which is taken care of by the funeral director, who also ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- Le choix Funéraire
- Roc Eclerc
- DELA
- Alveus Scrl
- Sereni
- Budget Funerals
- Funeral Manager
- DVV Assurances
List of charts presented in this market study
- Worldwide funeral market sales
- Growth forecasts for the funeral industry
- Life expectancy at birth
- Trend in the proportion of the Belgian population aged 65 and over
- Increase in the number of deaths by region in 2020 vs. the 2017-2019 average
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the funeral market | Belgium
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