July 2000
The Director - Features
The Upward Trend
Some tips on how funeral homes can meet the growing consumer preference for cremation
In May 2000, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) released a report showing that the cremation rate in the United States increased 4.2 percent from 1993 to 1998 (19.76 percent in 1993, and 23.96 percent in 1998). CANA projects the national cremation rate in 2000 will reach 25.7 percent and 38.18 percent by 2010. Given these statistics, it is vital that funeral service professionals learn about the attitudes of cremation consumers towards funerals and memorialization.
The Wirthlin Group recently completed its latest survey on "American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization," which includes a section that deals with cremation and offers some insight on who is choosing cremation and why.
The Upward Trend, by Kathleen Walczak, NFDA's manager of research and information, offers a summary of that section of the report. It includes a table illustrating the demographics of people likely to choose cremation for themselves and for loved ones and reveals the main reasons people give for choosing cremation. It also shows what kind of service these cremation consumers would prefer and the percentage of those who would choose to scatter the cremated remains.
The article gives some pointers to help funeral directors market cremation to their families and increase revenue. It also discusses cremation merchandise and advertising.
