Funeral planning is dramatically changing in more ways than one. Organizations like the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) collect and track data on funeral services in the U.S. to gauge how things are evolving. The information they gather directly impacts how the funeral industry adapts and what it has to offer.
The latest data and statistics are encouraging for many funeral home service providers and consumers. It suggests that services and consumer knowledge are expanding, but we still have a way to go.
The Cremation Rate is Slowing But Still Rising
We’ve reported about the rising cremation rate in the past, and 2024 continued the trend just at a slower pace. The NFDA’s preliminary data shows that in 2024 the cremation rate was 61.9%. That’s an increase of 1.4% over the year before.
CANA’s predictions for the cremation rate in the U.S. is that it will slow but continue its upward trend for some time. It’s a prediction that the NFDA agrees with. They believe that the cremation rate will reach 82.1% by 2045. CANA has predicted that the cremation rate will be 75.3% by 2038.
One thing that could skew the projections is the expansion of new forms of disposition that are being developed. With the pace of innovation today in the funeral industry, it’s possible that new services will grow in demand.
Advanced Funeral Arrangements Are Becoming More Common
More people are familiarizing themselves with the funeral process and taking steps to arrange their own funeral – years before they die. The NFDA 2024 Consumer Preferences Survey noted that in 2016 just 46% of respondents had ever visited a funeral home’s website. In 2024 that number had grown to over 70%. There’s also a lot more activity on Facebook as people look up information on funeral homes.
What exactly are people trying to find by researching funeral homes online?
Other than looking for an obituary, many people cite searching for service prices. The expectation that prices will be published online is growing. In 2024 26% of consumers were looking for price information, which is a big jump up from 19% the year before.
The other primary topic of interest is making advance funeral arrangements. More people are researching their options and taking steps to line up their own funeral services well in advance.
Funeral Service Providers Are Getting Better With Customers
A large consumer survey conducted by Foresight in 2024 found that people’s opinion of funeral service providers is improving. As funeral directors change to adapt to consumer demands and needs, more people believe that they are doing a good job of responding.
In the latest Foresight survey 60% of people had a favorable opinion of funeral service providers. That’s a notable increase from the year before when 55% of people said the same.
Funeral service providers received the highest ratings for:
- Professionalism (75% positive)
- Providing a Comforting Environment at Their Location (73%)
- Responding to Family Needs (68%)
There were also some notable low notes in the consumer ratings. Not surprisingly, funeral homes received a rating of just 41% for meeting consumer budgets. More than half of consumers also believed that funeral homes didn’t adequately provide tech-based products and services.
Another thing that funeral homes can do to improve consumer sentiment is right in line with the FDA’s proposed changes for the Funeral Rule. Over 88% of consumers say that online pricing is important.
Now that the funeral industry is improving its impression, effort in the coming years should be put into continuing to evolve to meet the demands of modern consumers. Focus on expanding service options, customized services and tech-based features for managing the funeral process can keep the trend moving in the right direction.
We’re Going to be Even Busier Providing Green Funeral Services
Another statistic that can’t be ignored is the number of people who are interested in green funeral services. It’s a trend that’s been on the rise, and the 2024 NFDA consumer survey confirms that more people than ever before are taking environmental impact into consideration.
The NFDA found that 68% of Americans now factor in environmental impact when they are considering funeral services. Looking at Google search data it’s clear more people are looking into green funeral services. Green funeral terms are being searched more frequently today compared to five years ago.
The significant uptick in interest is largely due to better awareness and new disposition options that have brought the topic to the forefront.
The expanding approval of water cremation and natural organic reduction are changing the way many people view funeral services. When all things are equal, eco-friendliness can be the deciding factor in which type of disposition is chosen and which funeral home provides the services.
This is one of the reasons the cremation rate is expected to continue growing even if the pace has slowed a bit. Direct cremation is going to be more eco-friendly than traditional burial in the short-term and long-term.
However, there’s work to be done in educating the public about the environmental impact of funeral services. In Foresight’s survey traditional cremation was believed to be the greenest option. The reality is direct cremation, water cremation, natural burial and natural organic reduction are all lower impact and now available in many areas.
Cremation.Green was established to provide families in Texas with access to green funeral services that are better for the environment. We’re a funeral home that believes every family deserves compassionate care even if their funeral preferences are unconventional.
If you have questions or need help arranging eco-friendly funeral services, give our team a call, message us or send an email any time.