DGCCRF reveals abusive practices in funeral industry

The French Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) has reported widespread misconduct within the funeral services sector. Following inspections of more than 550 professionals—representing approximately 10% of operators—nearly half of the audited businesses faced corrective or repressive measures during 2024 and 2025.

Key findings include non-compliant funeral estimates, unfair contract clauses, and deceptive commercial practices. Specific violations identified include the improper billing of services, such as Covid-19 disinfection fees, double billing for single services, and the overcharging of transportation mileage. In one instance, a professional was fined 5,000 euros and ordered to compensate consumers for deceptive mileage billing.

Investigators also noted that some companies failed to display prices for certain products or used unfair clauses that allowed them to unilaterally change essential contract details, including price. More serious issues were identified where operators attempted to make consumers captive by providing estimates only after initial services had already been performed.