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FTC Misrepresentation Rules on Outer Burial Containers

Funeral service providers cannot tell consumers that state or local law requires them to buy an outer burial container if that is not true. They also must tell consumers that state law does not require them to purchase an outer burial container.

They satisfy this obligation by including on the Outer Burial Container Price List the mandatory disclosure discussed in the Outer Burial Container Price List: Information and Use. The mandatory disclosure about outer burial containers also tells consumers that grave liners are suitable for meeting any cemetery requirement.

They may not tell consumers that a particular cemetery requires an outer burial container, if that is not true. Many funeral service providers keep updated rules of local cemeteries to make sure that their information is accurate. If the particular cemetery does require a container, then they should explain this to the family.