Beijing, December 1, 2025 — China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have jointly issued draft rules aimed at tightening price transparency in the funeral sector, responding to years of public complaints over hidden fees, inflated charges, and opaque pricing practices.
Pricing Rules Proposed
The draft Funeral Sector Price Disclosure Provisions (Trial) set out mandatory standards for how funeral homes and related service providers must display prices. The provisions would require pricing to meet four core principles — comprehensiveness, completeness, clarity, and standardisation — to ensure families understand the full cost of goods and services.
According to the draft, funeral operators would need to clearly display all prices for products and services offered at funeral facilities, following a “mark everything that should be marked” approach. Operators must also disclose all information closely tied to pricing, including additional conditions and quantities of any complimentary items.
Clear and Non-Misleading Presentation Required
The rules would bar providers from using ambiguous terms such as “to be discussed” or “starting from 100 yuan.” Instead, operators would need to use language easily understood by the public, accurately describe the substance of goods and services, and avoid misleading or deceptive descriptions. Authorities encourage providers to use photos, videos or physical samples to help families make informed choices.
Where national laws or industry standards already define certain funeral products or services, the draft requires operators to follow those definitions and offer plain-language explanations when technical terms may confuse consumers.
A Response to Public Outcry
A SAMR official said the funeral sector has long faced complaints about non-transparent and excessive pricing, an issue that directly affects families during vulnerable moments. Regulators argue that the new rules are needed to break longstanding “information barriers” and restore fairness and transparency in the sector.
Public comments on the draft are now open.
Source: https://www.samr.gov.cn/xw/mtjj/art/2025/art_65a0402b41eb432a8e7d2e7f43242468.html
