More than 40 years ago, neighborhood associations in the Vallès Occidental region began to self-organize to guarantee dignified burials by adjusting prices. It was the early 1980s, in the midst of the industrial restructuring crisis, and many families could no longer afford the expense of funerals, a custom born of necessity. Joaquín Nogués, current member of the Badia del Vallès Funeral Committee, remembers this. As member number 2, he is the most senior member among the 6,000 members. Adding to the difficulty of paying the installments charged by funeral insurance companies was popular discontent with the "poor practices and poor service" of the local funeral home. The late José Toro, then a member of the neighborhood association, had a lightbulb moment and suggested they bypass the standard system and set up their own funeral services.

The way we say goodbye to our loved ones when they die is constantly evolving. While until recently, the vast majority of farewells were Catholic ceremonies ending with a burial, cremations now predominate, and secular ceremonies are constantly growing. This phenomenon is occurring in Catalonia, Spain, and the rest of Europe, as explained this Wednesday by the president of the Association of Funeral Service Companies of Catalonia (Asfuncat), Josep Maria Mons. In total, 51.8% of Catalans who died in 2024 were cremated, which represents an increase of 1.2% compared to 2022 and 8.8% compared to 2018.