Grieving families are having to navigate opaque pricing, upselling and misinformation from a funeral industry dominated by large, profit-driven businesses that are "cashing in on confusion", consumer advocate Choice says.
The survey found almost half of respondents had "no idea how much a funeral should cost", while two-thirds "didn't think to negotiate on price" and one in five didn't believe they had any options for reducing the price they were quoted.
In a price breakdown of the most expensive direct cremation, from a White Lady funeral home, more than half the money quoted went to an "opaque" professional services fee , while the cost of the coffin was $1800, Jeong said. The report also identified issues with funeral homes advertising as "family-owned" businesses when many are actually owned by ASX-listed companies InvoCare and Propel Funeral Partners.
While family-owned businesses are not necessarily cheaper, "it's important for people who are grieving to have that choice and know who is actually running the funeral provider they are going with", Jeong said.
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