The Co-op has launched a survey into planning for death and bereavement.
The poll started yesterday (Thursday) to tackle the taboo around this subject and uncover what stops the nation from talking about death.
It will gather opinions on death, bereavement and funeral wishes from consumers, funeral directors, charities and Co-op members.
Robert MacLachlan, managing director of Co-op Funeralcare and Later Life Planning, said: "We know that talking about death is one of the hardest conversations people have to have. It’s a huge national issue and that’s why we’re encouraging the nation to get talking about this important subject, as a huge number of us believe the way we approach it needs to change.
"If we had more open conversations about this topic, just think of the positive outcomes that could be achieved.
"Making arrangements for a loved one’s funeral is a huge responsibility, with everyone having their own personal wishes. No-one likes to think about their own mortality, but having a discussion and planning ahead can have huge benefits in terms of being able to do the right thing for loved ones when the time comes."
The Co-op plans to work closely with charitable groups, campainers and the Government to identify solutions to this issue.
This comes as preliminary research by the Co-op showed that on average, people in Britain will suffer their first loss at the age of 21. Of those questioned, 41 per cent admitted feeling unable to express their emotions at the time of this loss and 53 per cent believed that more open conversations about death, dying and bereavement would have helped them to cope with the loss of a loved one.
Despite 94 per cent of people having experienced a bereavement, only 31 per cent of people said they are totally comfortable when talking about death, dying and bereavement with loved ones.
Log on coop.co.uk/survey to take part in the survey conducted by YouGov.
