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MARKET II International Sales
THE EUROPEAN
Hearing Aid Marke'
Europe has, a fte r the en try o f C roatia , 2 8 m em bers.
Tony Grant-Salmon (British Hearing Aid Manufacturer's
Association) has com piled all the available sales figures
from Europe for 2012 for Audio Infos. There was weak
growth during the year for the EU countries, but Grant-
Salmon is not so optimistic for 2013.
his year’s study of hearing aid sales in Western
Europe has revealed sales of 2,929,000 units
in 2012, a decrease of 0.9% over the 2011
figure of 2,955,000 units. The 2012 result
was a little disappointing since Europe had
susta ined reasonable growth th rough the
By Tony Grant-Salmon
victoria.adshead@edpsante.fr
Fotos: EU / Innocentia
recent years of the world financial crisis. Sales figures
for the European Union countries were more positive at
ca.4,275,000, an increase of 1.9 %.
Countries making the main contribution to the growth
in 2012 were Netherlands at 6.5%, Sweden at 5%,
Denmark at 4%, UK at 3.9%, Germany and Spain at
2.3%. Of particular note were the dramatic downturns in
both Switzerland and Norway.
A U D IO INFO S I N°81 I SEPTEMBER 2013
| MARKET
In the Netherlands, sales were poor in the first few
months due to negative commentary from “Watchdog”
style programmes. Consumers tended to stop buying
aids believing there were no benefits to having hearing
aids with extra features. During the summer of 2012,
the Government indicated they would make changes
to funding in early 2013 and this created demand in the
last half of 2012 and it coincided with manufacturers
making special deals depending on age. This resulted
in an above average growth of 6.5% for the year.
In the UK, the market continued to show growth in that
private sales increased by 3.9% to 214,000 and Public
sales by 7.6% to 1,008,000, thus totaling 1,222,000,
an overall increase of 6.9% over 2011. The planned
introduction by the Department of Health of the Any
Guallfied Provider (AQP) system, which gives patients
the right to choose freely, where appropriate, from a
range of providers that are qualified to provide safe, high
quality care and treatment - and select the one that best
meets their needs - has been a slow process with still
only a limited number of companies accredited.
Mixed results
Growth in Germany was limited by irritations caused
by the upcom ing new fla t rate system. Custom ers
waited fo r h igher fla t rates (m eaning lower private
pays) and thus their decision to buy a hearing aid was
postponed. Unfortunately, the new flat rates didn't come
into force in 2012 because the d ifficu lt negotiations
be tw een the p u b lic hea lth care system and the
Association of Hearing Aids were not finished and they
are still dragging on in 2013.
In Spain, despite the difficult econom ic and political
situation and limited or no growth in recent years, the
Hearing Industry maintained its figures and there was
nominal increase of 2.3%. There is optimism for greater
increase in 2013.
In Switzerland, the figures show a sharp decline down
to 49,650 units in calendar year 2012. There was a
particularly strong first half due to a strong pipeline of
prescriptions under the old pre-July 2011 prescriptions
regulation but followed by a weak second half reflecting
fewer leads to the shops due to new post-July 2011
regulations, this resulted in a significant reduction in
patient streams to the shops.
The key issues were a) lower reimbursement sums, b)
tightened HL qualification criteria (20% binaural hearing
loss in quiet situation), c) end-consumer covering the
fu ll am ount to the HCP and applying fo r individual
re im bursem ent to state, as opposed to previously
paying only the difference to the HCP, who in his turn
got the reimbursement money from the state.
An increase in binaural fittings has also influenced sales
positively, in some countries binaural sales are now
close to 90% of total sales.
Europe and the USA
Comparison of sales and growth between Europe and
the USA reveals that in 2012, the market in the USA
grew at 3.1% whereas that in Europe declined by 0.9%.
US sales are influenced by sales to the VA, where sales
growth has slowed to 3.2% from 10.8% in 2010 and
3.9% in 2011.
Five year trends are also interesting in that Europe has
grown by 23% since 2007 whereas the USA has grown
by only 18%.
The growth in BTE sales in the USA continues and has
now reached 71% compared to 57% in 2007. This is in
comparison with Europe where BTE stands at 84% of
sales. Much of BTE growth has been due to the rise in
sales of RIC/RITE instruments, which have continued
to confirm their position in the market with sales already
above 45% of total sales, as indicated above.
Last year, I estimated that sales in the European Union
for 2011 were 4,154,000 and my estimate now for 2012
is ca.4,275,000, an increase of 1.9 %. This figure is
inclusive of the UK Government NHS sales, unreported
sales in some countries and sales in the twelve EU
member states not shown in the main matrix.
At 4,275,000 the EU maintains its position with 38%
of world sales which I estimate at ca.11,300,000 units
in 2012.
I reported last year on the Eurotrak study commissioned
by EHIMA, carried out by the Swiss market research
com pany Anovum initia lly in Germany, France and
the UK. The study covers hearing loss prevalence,
adoption rates, hearing loss population demography,
fac tors in fluenc ing purchase of hearing aids and
satisfaction rates.
I mentioned that the second phase of the study would be
Although the EU
countries account for
38% of global hearing
aid sales, the hearing
aid industry is still too
small for Brussels to be
that interested. Studies
like EuroTrak and other
work by EHIMA may
start to change this.
SEPTEMBER 2013 I N°81 I A U D IO IN FO S 0 |
MARKETInternational Sales
HEARING AID MARKET SURVEY - WESTERN EUROPE (N um ber o f H earing Aids so ld (000's)
WEST EUROPE TOTAL 2011 2012 c h a n g e 2011 2012 c h a n g e
BTE 2 502 2 474 -1,1% D ig ita l 2 955 2 929 -0,9%
ITE 453 455 0,4% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 2 955 2 929 -0,9% 2 955 2 929 -0,9%
%BTE 84,7% 84,5% -0,3% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
GERMANY 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 807 830 2,9% D ig ita l 887 907 2,3%
ITE 80 77 -3,8% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 887 907 2,3% 887 907 2,3%
%BTE 91,0 91,5 0,6% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
UK PRIVATE 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 113 117 3,5% D ig ita l 206 214 3,9%
ITE 93 97 4,3% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 206 214 3,9% 206 214 3,9%
%BTE 54,9 54,7 -0,4% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
FRANCE 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 458 461 0,7% D ig ita l 518 520 0,4%
ITE 60 59 -1,7% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 518 520 0,4% 518 520 0,4%
%BTE 88,4 88,7 0,29% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
ITALY 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 275 277 0,7% D ig ita l 328 330 0,6%
ITE 53 53 0,0% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 328 330 0,6% 328 330 0,6%
%BTE 83,8 83,9 0,0 % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
DENMARK 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 107 110 2,8% D ig ita l 125 130 0,8%
ITE 18 20 11,1% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 125 130 4,0% 125 130 4,0%
%BTE 85,6 84,6 -1,2% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
NETHERLANDS 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 205 220 7,3% D ig ita l 231 246 6,5%
ITE 26 26 0,0% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 231 246 6,5% 231 246 6,5%
%BTE 88,7 89,4 0,8% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
SPAIN 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 91 93 2,2% D ig ita l 130 133 2,3%
ITE 39 40 2,6% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 130 133 2,3% 130 133 2,3%
%BTE 70,0 69,9 -0,1% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
SWEDEN 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 125 130 4,0% D ig ita l 145 151 4,1%
ITE 20 21 5,0% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 145 151 4,1% 145 151 4,1%
%BTE 86,2 86,1 -0,1% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
NORWAY 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 90 38 -57,8% D ig ita l 105 48 -54,3%
ITE 15 10 -33,3% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 105 48 -54,3% 105 48 -54,3%
%BTE 85,7 79,2 -7,6% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
SWITZERLAND 2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 81 43 -46,9% D ig ita l 90 50 -44,4%
ITE 9 7 -22,2% A n a lo g u e 0 0 0,0%
Total 90 50 -44,4% 90 50 -44,4%
%BTE 90,0 86,0 -4,4% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
OTHERS (Eire; Belgium; Portugal; Finland; Greece; Austria)
2011 2012 2011 2012
BTE 150 155 3,3% D ig ita l 190 200 5,3%
ITEI 40 45 12,5% A n a lo g u e 0 0
Total 190 200 5,3% 190 200 5,3%
%BTE 78,9 77,5 -1,8% % D ig ita l 100,0% 100,0% 0,0%
0 A U D IO INFO S I N°81 I SEPTEMBER 2013
carried out initially in the UK. Eurotrak UK 2012 was carried
out in early 2012, and was followed by Germany, France,
Switzerland, Italy, Norway and Japan. These studies were
carried out and the results of these studies were reported
in Audio Infos issues 09/2012 and 02/2013.
Summary of the key findings
‘ Switzerland has highest satisfaction rate at 84%
‘ Germany has h ighest prevalence of hearing loss
at 12.5%
*UK has highest adoption rate at 41.1%
‘ Norway has highest 3rd party reimbursement at 94%
‘ Norway has highest binaural fitting rate at 74%
The study of the latest four countries concludes that the
Swiss are most happy with their hearing aids and are
positive about the image of the hearing health industry
in Switzerland. The hearing im paired in Italy seem
most affected by the current economic downturn with
decreasing binaural fittings. Norway tops the chart as
regards the number of people with hearing aids with a
very small private sector and very high reimbursement
on the public system.
Seren Hougaard of EHIMA suggests that the studies
are send ing strong messages to the Industry and
regards the next steps as better education fo r ENT
The EU maintains
its position with 38% of world
sales, with the UK accounting
for 23% of EU sales ^
doctors; better information for the hearing impaired
about reimbursement possibilities; advocation of adult
screening programmes; education of politicians about
social cost issues; channelling more information to
tinnitus patients about treatment options.
Finally, what will 2013 bring? I am not so optim istic
a b o u t 2013; in itia l in d ic a tio n s be ing s ig n if ic a n t
difficulties in some countries which will inevitably lead to
poorer sales. The financial problems persisting in many
countries, especially the Eurozone, and the potential
difficulties and setbacks experienced in some countries
outlined above, the Hearing Industry will struggle.
Finally, my usual qualification that the availability of
information on hearing aid sales in Europe is limited,
only a few countries having formal reporting systems.
This study uses data collected by Industry Associations
plus that from informal but informed sources. I
November 2013
Manchester Central Conference Centre, Manchester, UK
The UK’s biggest audiology conference. This year’s theme - building skills for the future, aims
to address a broad range of clinical, academic and professional issues within audiology.
On offer are specific learning tracks and workshops in a variety of different areas to include;
hearing, ageing and cognition, tinnitus, balance, complex needs, paediatrics, service quality
and beyond the puretone audiogram. There are also dedicated learning tracks for students
and Assistant Audiologists, along with a specific sponsors track.
Early bird price valid until: 30th September 2013 q Full c o n fe re n S\
V fr°in £209 Ce )For the full programme visit: www.baaudiology.org
If you have any questions please contact the BAA events team at
events@baaudiology.org I 01506 292042
BRITISH ACADEM Y
O F A U D IO L O G Y
SEPTEMBER 2013 I N°81 I A U D IO INFO S
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