{"id":1209,"date":"2021-10-06T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T07:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.competitionlawyers.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1209"},"modified":"2021-08-27T13:41:37","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T12:41:37","slug":"final-report-published-by-cma-on-funerals-competition-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.competitionlawyers.co.uk\/blog\/final-report-published-by-cma-on-funerals-competition-investigation","title":{"rendered":"Final report published by CMA on funerals competition investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The CMA has finally published their concluding report on the funerals competition investigation which has been ongoing for several years, after it began in June 2018. Revealed to the public in mid-December, the report set out a series of suggested \u201csunlight remedies<\/em>\u201d to be applied in the funerals market sector.<\/p>\n

These remedies are designed to empower consumers further when it comes to selecting funeral services, and to ensure that the sector remains under scrutiny following the investigation. The Remedies Implementation timetable was also published as of 8th<\/sup> January 2021, which set a deadline for implementing remedial action by 17th<\/sup> June 2021.<\/p>\n

While there has been no action taken or fines issued as a result of this investigation so far, the CMA\u2019s concerns for the funeral industry remain significant. As believers in fair competition, it is important that regulators work hard to make sure that business practices are fair for companies and customers. We believe that the thorough investigation has demonstrated strong support for the rights of the consumer in this industry.<\/p>\n

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The case so far<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The funerals competition investigation was first launched by the CMA to review the choices on offer to consumers, in order to establish whether they were being allowed to make informed choices about their purchases. The high costs and debt that can be incurred by funerals made the investigation all the more necessary, and cremations were understood to be a particular focus in terms of concerns as these were found to constitute 75% of all funerals.<\/p>\n

The first phase of the investigation ended in March 2019, at which point the second phase was launched. Over the course of the investigation, many companies have been interviewed and reviewed, including industry leader, Co-op Funeralcare.<\/p>\n

The measures proposed by the funerals competition investigation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to the CMA<\/strong><\/a>, the funerals competition investigation suggested that:<\/p>\n