The Spanish National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) has approved, subject to commitments, the acquisition by Salzillo Servicios Funerarios S.L. of Lázaro Soto S.L., a transaction affecting the funeral services market in the Region of Murcia. The deal includes the acquisition of three funeral homes and a crematorium located in Lorca, Águilas, and La Paca.
The operation was scrutinized for its potential impact on retail funeral services, wholesale funeral services including funeral homes and crematoria, and funeral insurance—a market closely linked to the provision of funeral services. Salzillo, which operates in Murcia and is controlled by Albia and Funespaña (groups affiliated with Santa Lucía and Mapfre), strengthens its vertical integration in the sector, raising potential concerns for competition.
The CNMC identified that the vertical reinforcement resulting from the acquisition could threaten the viability of Lázaro Soto’s sole competitor in Águilas. To address this risk, Salzillo offered a set of commitments to be applied for a minimum of five years, extendable by two additional years. These measures are designed to safeguard the economic viability of the competitor and ensure continued competitive pressure in the wholesale funeral services market.
Under the commitments, Mapfre will appoint the manager of the competitor funeral home in Águilas as a preferred service provider, while Santa Lucía will formalize an agreement establishing service tariffs and conditions with the competitor. The CNMC concluded that these commitments are sufficient to resolve the identified competition concerns and will monitor their implementation, as well as the ongoing effects of the transaction on the market.