The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) has granted approval for Salzillo Servicios Funerarios S.L. to take exclusive control of Lázaro Soto S.L. This acquisition includes three funeral homes and a crematorium located in the Region of Murcia.

The operation impacts the retail funeral services market, wholesale funeral home and crematory services, and the closely related death insurance market. Salzillo is controlled by Albia and Funespaña, which are part of the Santa Lucía and Mapfre groups, both active in the death insurance sector.

During the review, the CNMC identified potential competition risks that could arise from the acquisition without commitments. A market test and consultations with affected parties were conducted to assess these risks.

The analysis indicated that the vertical integration from the acquisition could threaten the viability of the only competitor to Lázaro Soto's funeral home in Águilas. To mitigate this risk, Salzillo proposed commitments to be fulfilled for a minimum of five years, extendable for two additional years.

These commitments include appointing the competitor's funeral home manager as a preferred service provider and formalizing agreements on service tariffs and conditions. The CNMC believes these measures are adequate to address the identified issues and will monitor compliance and market effects.