PANASEF (National Association of Funeral Services) has just published its annual report "Radiography of the funeral sector" that collects the economic data of the national funeral sector.
Turnover
During 2018, in which 426,053 people died in Spain, the funeral sector invoiced 1,530 million euros, 0.57% more than the previous year. A turnover figure that represents 0.13% of national GDP.
According to Alfredo Gosálvez, general secretary of PANASEF, he adds, “the funeral sector has moved around 1,530 million euros but this figure is not only made up of the remuneration to the funeral companies, but also includes the provision of services and products of up to 9 different economic agents ”.
In Spain operate some 1,300 funeral services companies of which 80% have a turnover of more than one million euros.
Installations
The number of funeral facilities (funeral homes, wake-up and crematoriums) continues to increase.
PANASEF estimates that they operate 2,525 funeral installations in Spain, with 7,050 wake rooms, to meet an average demand of 1,167 daily deaths.
“Funeral services companies have made a great investment in recent years in funeral homes and crematoriums with the aim of bringing service to families. In addition, deaths do not occur in a linear manner but there is a great variability according to the months of the year and the sector is prepared to face these specific increases in deaths ”says Alfredo Gosálvez.
Spain, with a cremation rate of 41.22%, has the largest number of crematorium ovens in Europe with 442 ovens. With this number of ovens, an average of 1,768 incinerations can be carried out for an average demand of 400 daily incinerations.
There is a great commitment of the sector with the environment and therefore, the crematorium furnaces of Spain, in addition to complying with the limits established by law, continue to install filters that further minimize pollutant emissions into the atmosphere.
Personal
The funeral sector, which is in a deep phase of professionalization, has employed 11,510 workers during 2018 (73.40% male and 26.60% female). If in Spain 1167 people die daily on average, the sector has 9.86 workers per death.