The trade competition between Europe and China has now reached the coffin market. After electric cars, steel and other industrial goods, European coffin manufacturers are preparing to turn to the European Commission. They argue that cheap Chinese imports threaten the survival of their businesses.
A coalition seeking an anti-dumping inquiry
Companies in the sector are forming a joint front to persuade Brussels to open an investigation into possible dumping, meaning the sale of products on the European market at prices below their normal value.
There are also suspicions that some imports from China pass through European customs under a different commercial classification. This could hide the real size of the Chinese presence in the coffin market.
A quarter of businesses have closed
The figures presented by European manufacturers show how difficult the sector’s situation has become.
According to consultant Folco Ciulli, who is coordinating the preparation of the complaint, the number of coffin manufacturers in Europe fell from about 120 to 90 in five years. That means one in four businesses has stopped operating.
He explained that smaller factories were hit hardest because they could not compete with the prices of imported products. The businesses still operating have managed to make up only half of the production lost when the others closed.
The cost gap
The difference in production costs is the biggest problem. European producers estimate that a coffin can be made in China for about a third of the cost in Italy, even when similar timber is used.
They attribute the gap to lower wages and raw material costs, and to possible state subsidies and tax advantages enjoyed by Chinese companies.
The puzzle of the 30,000 coffins
Beyond prices, European manufacturers are also trying to investigate an unusual pattern identified in the Italian market.
Mathematician Emiliano Ingusio, who was commissioned to examine trade data on behalf of the sector, found a discrepancy equivalent to about 30,000 coffins a year.
His estimate is based on a comparison of domestic production, imports, exports and consumption. Because demand for coffins is linked to the number of deaths, which can be calculated fairly precisely, the gap raises questions.
The suspected “IKEA loophole”
Producers suspect that some products may be entering Europe without being recorded in the coffin category.
One practice they are examining has been informally named the “IKEA loophole”, a reference to furniture shipped disassembled in flat packs. According to the European manufacturers’ suspicions, some Chinese coffins arrive in Europe in pieces declared as wooden components. They are then assembled and sold as finished products.
A second possible practice involves coffins being declared as packaging or containers for transporting other goods.
For now, however, these suspicions do not constitute established customs violations.
The European Commission has pointed out that, under current international rules, even an unassembled product can be considered complete for customs purposes if it has the essential characteristics of the finished item.
What it takes to impose duties
The coalition being formed has already held contacts with European Commission officials and is preparing a file that could lead to a formal anti-dumping investigation.
Proving that Chinese products are cheaper is not enough to impose additional duties. It must also be shown that:
- The products are sold below their normal value
- European production suffers material injury
- There is a direct link between the imports and the companies’ financial losses
The Commission’s response
The Commission declined to confirm the specific contacts, explaining that such discussions with businesses remain confidential.
It noted, however, that the European Union already has more than 200 trade defence measures in place to protect European industries. In 2025, 32 new trade defence investigations were launched. In January, duties of 56% to 60%were imposed on imports of Chinese candles.
A traditional sector under pressure
The coffin case shows that the trade dispute with China is no longer limited to large industries and high-tech products. It has reached one of the most traditional sectors of European manufacturing, where producers are trying to secure their survival in a market with steady demand for their products but growing pressure on prices.
