Max Strasser took a look at the business of funerals:

• The average funeral costs a heart-stopping $7,045
• Some are fighting against this. The “Funeral Consumers Alliance” – which has a surprisingly more spry membership base than one would expect – is advocating against rising prices
• Other protesters sit outside the Federal Trade Commission’s offices with banners such as “I can’t afford to die”
• One of the largest funeral companies, SCI, is listed on the NYSE and is able to save on costs through economies of scale thus paying low prices for things such as embalming fluid

You can read more about the company, how it operates, and regulations around funerals over here.

Source: Al Jazeera