EU Coffin Makers Coalition Seeks Anti-Dumping Probe into Chinese Imports Amid Industry Contraction

European coffin manufacturers have formed a coalition to prepare a formal anti-dumping complaint against Chinese imports, citing price undercutting that has contributed to the closure of about a quarter of EU producers over five years. The number of manufacturers has fallen from roughly 120 to 90, with surviving firms absorbing only half the lost output, according to consultant Folco Ciulli coordinating the effort.[1][2]

The coalition has met with European Commission trade officials and is compiling data on production costs, labor, and factory prices to demonstrate dumping. Chinese coffins are estimated to cost about one-third as much to produce as equivalent Italian models using similar wood, attributed to subsidies, lower labor costs, and cheaper timber. A 2025 European Parliament question highlighted Chinese imports capturing around 60% of the Italian market, with production costs of €260 in Italy versus €80 in China, enabling sales at €100-110; it also raised concerns over toxic paints banned in the EU that release carcinogens during cremation.[3]

Additional issues include potential customs misclassification, such as flat-packed coffins declared as wooden parts (the 'IKEA loophole') or as packaging, leading to statistical discrepancies of around 30,000 unexplained coffins annually in Italy per mathematician Emiliano Inguscio. The Commission has noted that unassembled goods with recognizable essential characteristics should be treated as finished products.[1]

This effort aligns with broader EU trade defense actions, including definitive anti-dumping duties of 56-60% imposed in January 2026 on Chinese candles after finding injury to an industry of about 9,000 workers across 80 companies.[4] The Commission maintains over 200 trade defense measures and recorded 32 new investigations in 2025. No formal probe into coffins has been announced as of late October 2026.