– People are counting every penny – reports a local funeral industry entrepreneur who wishes to remain anonymous. They admit that since the pandemic, their company has been operating on the brink of profitability.
This thriftiness among people burying their loved ones is due, among other things, to rising prices and the fact that in the past—even when money was tight, by saving on flowers or ordering a cheaper coffin, for example—it was possible to pay for the entire funeral from the funeral allowance, which amounts to PLN 4,000. Now this is absolutely impossible, because nearly half of that amount is consumed by municipal fees.
The entrepreneur estimates that the cheapest funeral currently costs around PLN 6,000. And that is, of course, without the post-funeral reception and additional costs. Either way, at least PLN 2,000 must be paid out of pocket for the burial.